No official summary available for this bill.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6948 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6948
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each new electric and
hybrid vehicle to be equipped with technology that allows the timely
extinguishment of an electric vehicle battery fire, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 6, 2026
Mr. Latimer (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require each new electric and
hybrid vehicle to be equipped with technology that allows the timely
extinguishment of an electric vehicle battery fire, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE STANDARDS.
(a) Electric and Hybrid Vehicles.--Subchapter II of chapter 301 of
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``Sec. 30130 Electric and hybrid vehicles
``(a) Battery Safety.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall promulgate a
final motor vehicle standard to mitigate unreasonable risk of
fire, explosion, reignition, stranded energy, thermal runaway,
fire breaching the passenger compartment, loss of electrical
power, and any other safety risk related to the battery used in
any new electric or new hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale,
sold, offered for sale, or introduced or delivered for
introduction in interstate commerce in the United States.
``(2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall promulgate such
standard in consultation with a representative from each of the
following:
``(A) Major electric vehicle and hybrid vehicle
manufacturers.
``(B) An accredited standards development
organization with expertise in fire protection.
``(C) An organization that represents professional
firefighters.
``(D) An organization that represents volunteer
firefighters.
``(E) An organization that represents fire chiefs.
``(3) Minimum standard.--The final motor vehicle standard
described in paragraph (1) shall require any new electric or
hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale, sold, offered for sale,
or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate
commerce in the United States to be equipped, at a minimum,
with--
``(A) first responder access technology that allows
immediate access to the battery for purposes of timely
extinguishment of an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle
battery fire;
``(B) technology that suppresses thermal runaway if
an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle battery cell is
damaged;
``(C) safeguards to delay breaching of the
passenger compartment by an electric vehicle or hybrid
vehicle battery fire, sufficient to permit escape or
rescue of the vehicle operator and all passengers
within a reasonable period of time from a collision or
battery malfunction; and
``(D) battery and first responder access placed in
uniform, standardized locations within the vehicle,
subject to industry standards, in order to assist
firefighters in recognizing and responding to battery
fires.
``(4) Guidance for firefighters.--Not later than 1 year
after the promulgation of the final motor vehicle standard
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall publish
guidance on responding to fire incidents involving batteries
used in electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles to be used as the
basis for training firefighters.
``(b) Mechanical Door Release.--Not later than 2 years after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall promulgate a
final motor vehicle safety standard that requires any new electric
vehicle or hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale, sold, offered for
sale, or introduced or delivered for introduction in interstate
commerce in the United States to have clearly marked interior and
exterior mechanical door releases on each door and hatch that allows
safe exit of such vehicle in case of failure of the electric system of
such vehicle.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Electric vehicle.--The term `electric vehicle' means
a passenger motor vehicle that is propelled by an electric
motor drawing current from a rechargeable storage battery, fuel
cell, or other portable source of electrical current, which may
include a nonelectrical source of power designed to charge any
such battery and component thereof.
``(2) Hybrid vehicle.--The term `hybrid vehicle' means a
passenger motor vehicle propelled by a combination of an
electric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power
source and component thereof.
``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Transportation.''.
(b) Civil Penalty.--Section 30165(a)(1) of such title is amended by
inserting ``30130,'' after ``30127,''.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subchapter II of
chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``Sec. 30130. Electric and hybrid vehicles''.
(d) Application.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply to
each new electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle manufactured for sale,
sold, offered for sale, or introduced or delivered for introduction in
interstate commerce in the United States on and after the date that is
2 years after the date on which the Secretary promulgates the final
motor vehicle safety standard pursuant to section 30130(a) of title 49,
United States Code (as added by subsection (a)).
SEC. 2. STUDY ON THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLE
BATTERY FIRES ON FIRST RESPONDERS.
(a) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a
study on the health effects of electric and hybrid vehicle battery
fires on first responders.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to
Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Department
of Health and Human Services, a report that includes the following:
(1) The findings of the study under subsection (a).
(2) Input from at least one representative from the
following:
(A) An accredited standards development
organization with expertise in fire protection.
(B) An organization that represents professional
firefighters.
(C) An organization that represents volunteer
firefighters.
(D) An organization that represents fire chiefs.
(3) Recommendations for legislative action to protect first
responders from the health effects of electric and hybrid
vehicle battery fires and improve the safety of electric and
hybrid vehicle batteries.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line