Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies needed for the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; and (2) establish a competitive grant pilot demonstration program to provide up to 25 grants annually to state and local governments and metropolitan transportation authorities, or combinations of them, to implement demonstration projects for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5538 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5538
To reduce the Nation's dependence on foreign sources of oil by
promoting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and related advanced vehicle
technologies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 7, 2006
Mr. Smith of Texas (for himself, Mr. Honda, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Gordon,
Mr. Kingston, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr.
Engel, and Mr. McCaul of Texas) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Science
_______________________________________________________________________
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) related equipment, including electric equipment
necessary to recharge a plug-in hybrid electric
vehicle.
(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.
(9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(b) Program.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of research,
development, demonstration, and commercial application on technologies
needed for the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,
including--
(1) high capacity, high efficiency batteries, to--
(A) improve battery life, energy storage capacity,
and power delivery capacity, and lower cost; and
(B) 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) onboard energy management systems, power trains, and
systems integration for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,
flexible fuel plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hybrid
electric vehicles, including efficient cooling systems and
systems that minimize the emissions profile of such vehicles;
and
(5) lightweight materials, including research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application to reduce the cost of
materials such as steel alloys and carbon fibers.
(c) Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant pilot demonstration program to provide not
more than 25 grants annually to State governments, local
governments, metropolitan transportation authorities, or
combinations thereof to carry out a project or projects for
demonstration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
(2) Applications.--
(A) Requirements.--The Secretary shall issue
requirements for applying for grants under the
demonstration pilot program. The Secretary shall
require that applications, at a minimum, include a
description of how data will be--
(i) collected on the--
(I) performance of the vehicle or
vehicles and the components, including
the battery, energy management, and
charging systems, under various driving
speeds, trip ranges, traffic, and other
driving conditions;
(II) costs of the vehicle or
vehicles, including acquisition,
operating, and maintenance costs, and
how the project or projects will be
self-sustaining after Federal
assistance is completed; and
(III) emissions of the vehicle or
vehicles, including greenhouse gases,
and the amount of petroleum displaced
as a result of the project or projects;
and
(ii) summarized for dissemination to the
Department, other grantees, and the public.
(B) Partners.--An applicant under subparagraph (A)
may carry out a project or projects under the pilot
program in partnership with one or more private
entities.
(3) Selection criteria.--
(A) Preference.--When making awards under this
subsection, the Secretary shall consider each
applicant's previous experience involving plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles and shall give preference to
proposals that--
(i) provide the greatest demonstration per
award dollar, with preference increasing as the
number of miles that a plug-in hybrid electric
vehicle can operate solely on electric power
under city driving conditions increases; and
(ii) demonstrate the greatest commitment on
the part of the applicant to ensure funding for
the proposed project or projects and the
greatest likelihood that each project proposed
in the application will be maintained or
expanded after Federal assistance under this
subsection is completed.
(B) Breadth of demonstrations.--In awarding grants
under this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure the
program will demonstrate plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles under various circumstances, including--
(i) driving speeds;
(ii) trip ranges;
(iii) driving conditions;
(iv) climate conditions; and
(v) topography,
to optimize understanding and function of plug-in
hybrid electric vehicles.
(5) Pilot project requirements.--
(A) Subsequent funding.--An applicant that has
received a grant in one year may apply for additional
funds in subsequent years, but the Secretary shall not
provide more than $10,000,000 in Federal assistance
under the pilot program to any applicant for the period
encompassing fiscal years 2007 through fiscal year
2011.
(B) Information.--The Secretary shall establish
mechanisms to ensure that the information and knowledge
gained by participants in the pilot program are shared
among the pilot program participants and are available
to other interested parties, including other
applicants.
(6) Award amounts.--The Secretary shall determine grant
amounts, but the maximum size of grants shall decline as the
cost of producing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles declines or
the cost of converting a hybrid electric vehicle to a plug-in
hybrid electric vehicle declines.
(d) Cost Sharing.--The Secretary shall carry out the program under
this section in compliance 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).
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary--
(1) for carrying out subsection (b), $250,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2007 through 2011, of which up to $50,000,000
may be used for the program described in paragraph (5) of that
subsection; and
(2) for carrying out subsection (c), $50,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3433)
Referred to the House Committee on Science.
For Further Action See H.R.5656.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H8016)
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