Argonne, Illinois Tollway Join Forces to Find Efficiencies in State Police Fleet

Illinois State Police squad cars might soon become a little bit greener thanks to a fuel efficiency study with local roots announced Tuesday.

The aim of the research is twofold—to find ways to save money on gas and, in the process, help the environment through greater fuel efficiencies in the Illinois Tollway-owned squad cars.

The study is the first major initiative to emerge from a three-year partnership established in late 2010 between the tollway and Argonne National Laboratory.

Glenn Keller, manager of the vehicle systems group at Argonne, said researchers at the Darien-area lab intend to develop technologies that will allow troopers to use devices, such as radar and air conditioning, while on roadside patrol — even if the engine is off.

Troopers idle their vehicles with the engine on so they can use all the car functions necessary to do their jobs.

“We want to see what we can do to make for fuel efficiency without interrupting daily operations,” Keller said.

The study will include research into the feasibility of integrating gas/electric hybrid cars into the fleet, Keller said.

Fuel savings could add up. The tollway uses about $2 million worth of gas with its 725 vehicles each year, so a 1 percent savings would equal $20,000, said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur.

“While it may sound simple, there’s certainly a real benefit for the tollway and other state agencies,” she said.

The study will be conducted on cars in Illinois State Police District 15, based out of Downers Grove. The research will take at least a year so the cars can be tested during all four seasons, Keller said. Cars will be monitored in labs and in the field, on rural and urban toll roads.

Argonne’s ambition with the research goes beyond state-owned vehicles. The fuel-efficiency tools its researchers hope to develop are more advanced what’s commercially available from manufacturers such as Ford and GM, said Argonne Director Eric Isaacs.

“We often think two, three, five, 10 years out,” Isaacs said.

As envisioned, the technology, which Isaacs referred to as “engine-off idle,” could be applied to any type of vehicle.

“In these times of soaring gasoline prices, it is critically important to find new ways to increase fuel efficiency and save money,” Isaacs said.