The authors are pleased to present the findings of the research projects conducted by
GENERGÉTICA research group affiliated to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at
the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira. These chapters delve into research topics
concerning fuel economy and energy efficiency in light duty vehicles (LDV).
In the first chapter, titled "Fuel economy baseline update for light duty vehicles in
Colombia", authors Melissa Valencia, Daniel Ríos, Juan E. Tibaquirá, Sebastián Ospina,
Juan C. Castillo, Juan C. López, and Luis F. Quirama provide an update on the fuel
economy baseline of the LDV fleet in Colombia between 2017 and 2019. This project
received funding from The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as part of
the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI). The fuel economy baseline serves as
foundation for future policy measures aimed at enhancing the fleet’s energy efficiency
and quantifying their potential impact. This chapter details the methodology used to
establish and update the fuel economy baseline in Colombia, which can be applicable to
other countries as well. Furthermore, it presents disaggregated results based on vehicle
classes such as cars, trucks, campers, pickups, and vans, providing a comprehensive
overview of the current state of the national LDV fleet.
In the second chapter “Determination of the coefficients of resistance to the movement
of a light vehicle type automobile” authors Juan C. Castillo, Juan C. López, David A.
Serrato, Álvaro Restrepo, and Juan E. Tibaquirá propose a methodology for measuring
the fuel consumption of LDVs considering its movement resistance coefficients. This
study was funded by the Instituto Nacional de Metrología de Colombia with the objective
of establishing road and laboratory procedures for quantifying movement resistance
coefficients and incorporating them into laboratory fuel consumption tests. The chapter
describes the methodology, the analysis of the deceleration curves both on road and in
laboratory and outlines the adjustment and calibration methods employed. It also
presents an uncertainty model that encompasses all the stages of the procedure.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering welcomes the reading of these studies,
which aim to address the national and regional challenges pertaining to energy
efficiency and emissions in the transportation sector.
