A Review of Methanol Vehicles and Air Quality Impacts

In the quest for reduction of air pollution to target levels required under revised State implementation Plans (SIPs), ozone nonattaintnent areas are investigating and committing to programs for accelerated fleet penetration of methanol- and fuel-flexible motor vehicles. In this paper we examine if the premises for these commitments are informed (whether sufficient evidence is in hand to assure that the air quality effects of replacing conventionally-fueled vehicles with alcohol-capable units will be positive), and even if positive effects can be proved, whether they will occur in time to be relevant to the developers of ozone SIP revisions.