Sustainable Transportation

Foundational research to accelerate innovation for the nation’s transportation

Sandia accelerates innovation and informs safety and security for new transportation technology through foundational physical and computational research. Our programs advance the development of efficient and clean vehicles, from passenger automobiles to heavy-duty freight, with diverse and sustainable fuels.

Program Areas

• Bioenergy: Sandia’s unique capabilities encompass the areas of advanced imaging and spectroscopy, lignin characterization, high-throughput enzyme assays, microfluidic devices for biofuels research, systems analysis, techno-economic modeling, and computational bioscience for advanced bioproducts and biofuels production.
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Sandia has a deep, quantitative understanding of materials interactions with hydrogen that is applied to safety codes and standards as well as to the development of novel systems to produce clean hydrogen-based transportation.
• Vehicle Technologies: Sandia contributes to advances in vehicle technology, spanning from internal combustion engines and battery technologies to electric drivetrain power electronics. Our internal combustion engine research emphasizes the use of optical and laser diagnostics to increase engine efficiency and reduce emissions. Our battery research focuses on enhancing battery safety through battery abuse testing with advanced diagnostics. We develop high performance wide bandgap electronic materials and devices for electric drivetrain power electronics. We also provide tools that accelerate the safe and cyber-secure deployment of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.