%0 Book %A National Research Council %T Letter Report on the Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, Phase 3 %D 2009 %U https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12711/letter-report-on-the-review-of-the-research-program-of-the-freedomcar-and-fuel-partnership-phase-3 %> https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12711/letter-report-on-the-review-of-the-research-program-of-the-freedomcar-and-fuel-partnership-phase-3 %I The National Academies Press %C Washington, DC %G English %K Energy and Energy Conservation %P 22 %R doi:10.17226/12711 %X This letter report broadly reviews the strategy and structure of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, as requested by the U.S. Department of Energy. Although the Obama Administration's focus on nearer-term technologies is on the right track, there remains a need for continued investment in longer-term, higher-risk, higher-payoff vehicle technologies that could be highly transformational with regard to reduced use of petroleum and reduced emissions. Such technologies include advanced batteries, technologies for hydrogen storage, and hydrogen/fuel cells. For researchers, contractors, and investors to be willing to make long-term commitments to these and other potentially important developing technologies, a consistent year-to-year level of support must be provided. Other recommendations within this report include incorporating a broader-scope approach to better consider total emissions and the full environmental impact of using various fuels and technologies; providing temporary reductions in cost-share requirements to ease the burden on prospective researchers; and providing direct funding to struggling automotive companies to help keep important in-house research programs active. Further suggestions are included within the body of the report.