Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act 2006

From http://www.evworld.com/library/lamarsmith_phevbill.pdf

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[DISCUSSION DRAFT]
MAY 12, 2006

109TH CONGRESS - 2D SESSION - H. R. ______

To reduce the Nation’s dependence on foreign sources of oil by promoting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and related advanced vehicle technologies.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES M___. _________ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on ____________________

A BILL

To reduce the Nation’s dependence on foreign sources of oil by promoting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and related advanced vehicle technologies.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act of 2006’’.

SEC. 2. NEAR-TERM VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

(1) BATTERY.—The term ‘‘battery’’ means a device or system for the electrochemical storage of energy.

(2) BIOMASS.—The term ‘‘biomass’’ has meaning given the term in section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16232).

(3) E85.—The term ‘‘E85’’ means a fuel blend containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline by volume.

(4) ELECTRIC DRIVE TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.—The term ‘‘electric drive transportation technology’’ means—

(A) vehicles that use an electric motor for all or part of their motive power and that may or may not use offboard electricity, including battery electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, flexible fuel plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and electric rail; and

(B) equipment relating to transportation or mobile sources of air pollution that use an electric motor to replace an internal combustion engine for all or part of the work of the equipment, including corded electric equipment linked to transportation or mobile sources of air pollution.

(5) FLEXIBLE FUEL PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘flexible fuel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle’’ means a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle—

(A) warranted by its manufacturer as capable of operating on any combination of gasoline or E85 for its onboard internal combustion or heat engine; or

(B) that uses a fuel cell for battery charging when disconnected from offboard power sources.

(6) FUEL CELL VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘fuel cell vehicle’’ means an onroad vehicle that uses a fuel cell (as defined in section 803 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16152)).

(7) HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE.—The term ‘‘hybrid electric vehicle’’ means an onroad vehicle that—

(A) can operate on either liquid combustible fuel or electric power provided by an onboard battery; and

(B) utilizes regenerative power capture technology to recover energy expended in braking the vehicle for use in recharging the battery.

(8) PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE.—The term "plug-in hybrid electric vehicle" means a hybrid electric vehicle that can operate solely on electric power for a minimum of 20 miles under city driving conditions, and that is capable of recharging its battery from an offboard electricity source.

(b) PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and other electric drive transportation technology, including activities with respect to—

(1) high capacity, high efficiency batteries, to—

(A) improve battery life, energy storage capacity, and power delivery capacity; and

(B) improve manufacturability, and to minimize waste and hazardous material production in the entire value chain, including after the end of the useful life of the batteries;

(2) high efficiency onboard and offboard charging components;

(3) high power drive train systems for passenger and commercial vehicles and for supporting equipment;

(4) control systems, power trains, and systems integration for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, flexible fuel plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles, including—

(A) development of efficient cooling systems; and

(B) analysis and development of control systems that minimize the emissions profile of such vehicles, including emissions associated with generating electricity used by such vehicles; and

(5) a nationwide outreach strategy for electric drive transportation technologies providing teaching materials and support for university education focused on electric drive system and component engineering.

(c) GOALS.—The goals of the program established under subsection (b) shall be to develop, in partnership with industry and institutions of higher education, projects that focus on—

(1) innovative electric drive transportation technology developed in the United States;

(2) growth of employment in the United States in electric drive transportation technology design and manufacturing;

(3) validation of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle potential through fleet demonstrations; and

(4) acceleration of fuel cell commercial application through comprehensive development and demonstration of the electric drive transportation technology systems.

(d) DEMONSTRATION AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATION PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a program of demonstration and commercial application for testing and evaluation of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and flexible fuel plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The Secretary shall award grants under this subsection on a competitive basis, but shall give preference to applications that are matched with State or local funds. Awards under this subsection shall be for a maximum of—

(1) $10,000 per vehicle in fiscal years 2007 through 2009;

(2) $8,000 per vehicle in fiscal years 2010 through 2012;

(3) $6,000 per vehicle in fiscal year 2013;

(4) $3,000 per vehicle in fiscal year 2014;

(5) $2,000 per vehicle in fiscal year 2015; and

(6) $1,000 per vehicle in fiscal year 2016.

(e) MERIT BASED FEDERAL INVESTMENTS.—Research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities carried out by the Department of Energy under this Act shall be awarded consistent with section 988(a) through (d) and section 989 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352(a) through (d) and 16353).

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary—

(1) for carrying out subsection (b), $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2016; and

(2) for carrying out subsection (d), $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2016.

SEC. 3. LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

(a) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall establish a research and development program to determine ways—

(1) to reduce the weight of light and heavy duty vehicles to improve fuel efficiency without compromising passenger safety; and

(2) to reduce the cost and improve the manufacturability of lightweight materials (such as steel alloys and carbon fibers) required for the construction of lighter-weight vehicles.

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for carrying out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2012.