The Centre for ECO2 Vehicle Design was started in the early 2006 and will run until 2015. It is a co-operation between KTH, Scania, Volvo, SAAB, Bombardier, Polytec Group, A2 Acoustics, VTI, Vägverket (the Swedish Road Administration) and Banverket (the Swedish Rail Administration). The main objective is to perform vehicle design research which is ecologically and economically sustainable. From the start the Virtual Vehicle suit has been running along with the technical projects. The purpose is to perform research that is evaluated from the virtual vehicle as a reference object. By comparing the projects with the reference objects regarding fuel consumption, noise and production costs and so on the goals of developing ecologically and economically sustainable vehicles might be reached. Another purpose with the Virtual Vehicle suit is to facilitate the communication within the centre and illustrating the connection between the different vehicle modes. Virtual Vehicles I was started by defining the virtual vehicle. The aims were to identify the main functionalities and make up specifications for the different vehicles in the transport modes truck, train, cars and construction equipment. The aim was also to develop a method for how these virtual vehicles should be used within the evaluation of each project. The next phase, Virtual Vehicles II, was aiming at developing an evaluation tool for the ECO2 aspects and based on the virtual vehicles developed in the project Virtual Vehicles I. The environmental aspects were to be clarified and decided how they should be measured and evaluated. Another purpose with this was also to develop the project generation process within the centre in the sense that project proposers should know which criteria must be fulfilled. The long term intent with the Virtual Vehicle series is to develop and improve the centre towards concretization and adoption to the drivers affecting the future transport system and vehicle design. The preferable outcome will both minimize environmental impacts as well as maximize commercial output optimizing the complete transport system, which in this case includes single mode and intermodal transports and goods and personal transports. The long term goals are to - Build a network with other centres and organizations to exchange knowledge, experience and findings. - Identify which research areas are important to focus on within the centre in relation to important drivers for the development of future transport systems and vehicle design. - Benchmark and market the centre towards stakeholders within business and academic organisations in relation to important development drivers. - Suggest a method to evaluate construction suggestions and transport systems from the centre's perspective. This model can also be used for other stakeholders. - Create guidelines which future and ongoing projects are managed, directed and evaluated against within the centre. A starting point is the findings in Virtual Vehicles I and II.