The Transportation Energy Evolution Modeling (TEEM) Program is managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The program’s goal is to develop systems dynamics models to facilitate understanding of how to efficiently and effectively transition from the current petroleum-based transportation energy system to one that is more sustainable and energy-diverse. Identifying and quantifying the benefits of alternative approaches, along with their potential obstacles and risks, will help policy makers to develop effective strategies for promoting advanced vehicle technologies.

The TEEM Program’s focus is modeling market dynamics related to emerging light-duty vehicle powertrain technologies and predicting their impacts and acceptance. Most of the studies performed by TEEM require complex modeling of the relationships between factors such as vehicle technologies, energy costs, market penetration, driver behavior, and infrastructure availability. Much of the TEEM Program’s recent research has concentrated on the potential for electrification of the highway vehicle fleet.

In addition to performing policy-related research, the TEEM Program has developed the Market Acceptance of Advanced Automotive Technologies (MA3T) model, a market simulation model for DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program (VTO). MA3T simulates market demand for advanced vehicle technologies by representing relevant attributes of technologies and consumer behavior such as technological learning by doing, range anxiety, access to recharging points, daily driving patterns, and willingness to accept technological innovation.

The TEEM Program collaborates with partners from other DOE programs and national laboratories, academia, and private companies, along with international entities.