U.S. Senate, House Get Bills To Fund Electric Vehicle Rollout

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While President Obama has been fumbling a legitimate response to the Gulf Oil Spill, a group of U.S. Senators and Representatives have drafted two versions of new bill to accelerate the electric vehicle industry.

The "Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010" is intended to leverage $10 billion in federal grants to make it easier to early electric-vehicle adopters to get their cars and start to wean the country off oil.

The core of both versions of the bill is to create EV "ecosystems" in a handful of selected regions across the country. Cities will compete for federal funds earmarked to create charging infrastructure, help communities update their building codes and zoning to provide for EV needs, and convert government fleets to electric drive vehicles.

The Senate bill would allow up to 15 cities to apply to the Department of Energy for grants of up to $250 million. The House version offers $800 million to five cities.

According to the Electrification Coalition, this type of grant process is intended to stimulate healtArticle ImageEnlarge Photo

While President Obama has been fumbling a legitimate response to the Gulf Oil Spill, a group of U.S. Senators and Representatives have drafted two versions of new bill to accelerate the electric vehicle industry.

The "Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010" is intended to leverage $10 billion in federal grants to make it easier to early electric-vehicle adopters to get their cars and start to wean the country off oil.

The core of both versions of the bill is to create EV "ecosystems" in a handful of selected regions across the country. Cities will compete for federal funds earmarked to create charging infrastructure, help communities update their building codes and zoning to provide for EV needs, and convert government fleets to electric drive vehicles.

The Senate bill would allow up to 15 cities to apply to the Department of Energy for grants of up to $250 million. The House version offers $800 million to five cities.

According to the Electrification Coalition, this type of grant process is intended to stimulate healthy competition among communities who want to accommodate EVs. It will also take into consideration regions with smaller populations and those with less urbanization.

Most importantly for early EV adopters, these bills introduce additional federal grants for the purchase of EVs or for the installation of EV chargers.

The Senate bill gives a point-of-sale rebate of $2,500 (in addition to the existing $7,500 tax credit) for the purchase of an electric vehicle in the chosen communities, bringing the total purchase allowance to $10,000.

The House version instead gives a credit of up to $2,000 for electric vehicle owners to buy and install charging equipment--extending a credit now scheduled to expire on December 31 this year.

“I have always believed in pursuing new and innovative ways to provide for our country’s energy needs, especially as we work to reduce our reliance on imported oil,” said retiring senator Byron Dorgan (D-SD), one of the main sponsors of the Senate version.

“Republicans and Democrats agree that electrifying our cars and trucks is the single best way to reduce our dependence on oil,” said representative Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said. “Our goal should be to electrify half our cars and trucks within 20 years, which would reduce our dependence on petroleum products by about a third, from about 20 million to about 13 million barrels a day."

The first two mass-produced electric vehicles from major automakers--the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011 Chevrolet Volt--will appear in a handful of dealers in selected regions by the end of this year.

Supporters of these bills say that there is only a narrow window of time to pass this new legislation into law. They hope at least to get the main elements of this legislation included within an energy bill in the near future.

While most political responses to the Gulf Oil Spill have not focused on cutting petroleum usage, adoption of electric vehicles is one step that can begin the process of evolving our transportation sector towards a new future.

If you would like to show your support, contact your local Senator or Congressperson and let that person know your city is ready for clean, green vehicles that use no oil.hy competition among communities who want to accommodate EVs. It will also take into consideration regions with smaller populations and those with less urbanization.

Most importantly for early EV adopters, these bills introduce additional federal grants for the purchase of EVs or for the installation of EV chargers.

The Senate bill gives a point-of-sale rebate of $2,500 (in addition to the existing $7,500 tax credit) for the purchase of an electric vehicle in the chosen communities, bringing the total purchase allowance to $10,000.

The House version instead gives a credit of up to $2,000 for electric vehicle owners to buy and install charging equipment--extending a credit now scheduled to expire on December 31 this year.

“I have always believed in pursuing new and innovative ways to provide for our country’s energy needs, especially as we work to reduce our reliance on imported oil,” said retiring senator Byron Dorgan(D-SD), one of the main sponsors of the Senate version.

“Republicans and Democrats agree that electrifying our cars and trucks is the single best way to reduce our dependence on oil,” said representative Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said. “Our goal should be to electrify half our cars and trucks within 20 years, which would reduce our dependence on petroleum products by about a third, from about 20 million to about 13 million barrels a day."

The first two mass-produced electric vehicles from major automakers--the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011 Chevy Volt--will appear in a handful of dealers in selected regions by the end of this year.

Supporters of these bills say that there is only a narrow window of time to pass this new legislation into law. They hope at least to get the main elements of this legislation included within an energy bill in the near future.

While most political responses to the Gulf Oil Spill have not focused on cutting petroleum usage, adoption of electric vehicles is one step that can begin the process of evolving our transportation sector towards a new future.

If you would like to show your support, contact you local Congressman and let that person know your city http://www.allcarselectric.com/blog/1045908_u-s-senate-house-get-bills-to-fund-electric-vehicle-rolloutis ready for clean, green vehicles that use no oil.

Source: All Cars Electric

US Senate And House Working On 2 Versions of EV Bill

Although often billed as matching measures, the House and Senate versions of the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act introduced today have several key differences.

One biggie: The Senate version of the measure establishes a $10 million prize for the developer of a commercially viable EV battery capable of delivering 500 miles of range on a single charge.

Another: The House version sets aside funds to incentivize hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles; the Senate version ignores fuel cell vehicles. Neither measure provides aid for development of hydrogen fuel infrastructure.

And except for a provision the House version that calls for $100 million in bonds to be sold by regional governments to help fund infrastructure development, we haven't seen anything in either bill that says discusses where the money will come from. Apparently that's something to be worked out as the measures are debated.

Both bills are being cheered by EV and environmental activists, who see the effort as the first time Congress has taken a bipartisan look at methods of promoting rapid introduction and use of electric-drive vehicles, a category that covers plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and, in at least the House version of the measure, hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles.

We brought you a broad outline of the two bills early this morning, now here's some additional detail and a look, as we understand things based on preliminary info (the full text of the measures hasn't been posted yet) at the major differences.

• The House bill would cost about $11 billion over 5 years; the price tag on the Senate measure is about $10 billion.
• The House measure would establish at least five early deployment regions - communities wouldhttp://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/05/congress-gets-2-versions-of-ev-bill-all-together-now-we-can-work-it-out.html compete for the designation - and would provide funding of $800 million each to be used for EV purchase and fueling system deployment incentives.
  
• The Senate version would create five to 15 of the deployment regions but would fund each with only $250 million.
• The Senate would provide immediate rebates of up to $10,000 to purchasers of electric drive vehicles; the House would require deployment regions to provide rebates or other incentives of at least $2,000 per vehicle, but would aphttp://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/05/congress-gets-2-versions-of-ev-bill-all-together-now-we-can-work-it-out.htmlply that to 100,000 vehicles in each region.
• The House version provides for tax credits of up to $2,000 for consumer purchases of EV chargers and up to $50,000 for purchases of multiple chargers by businesses.
• The Senate version earmarks $1.5 billion for battery research aimed at lowering the cost of the advanced technology batteries demanded by electric drive vehicles.
• The Senate measure would expand federal tax credits for rechargeable battery electric-drive vehicles to include medium- and heavy-duty hybrids - a category that can cover big pickups and SUVS as well as commercial trucks.

We're sure there's more, and we'll endeavor bring it to you as soohttp://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/05/congress-gets-2-versions-of-ev-bill-all-together-now-we-can-work-it-out.htmln as we can successfully parse the two measures.

Meantime, we find ourselves in agreement with David Friedman, research director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Clean Vehicles Program, who said the bills would "move electric drive technologies into the fast lane" but need to be reconciled to ensure "that they provide a level playing field for all electric-drive vehicles and the necessary infrastructure to recharge and refuel them; including hydrogen and fuel cell electric vehicle technology."

Source: Edmunds.com

Green Vehicle Research and Development Bill Passes Subcommittee

There is a bill making its way through the US House that would increase funding for research into advanced technology vehicles and components. The House Science and Technology subcommittee on energy cleared a bill to increase U.S. Department of Energy funding by over 50 percent to $550 million for fiscal 2010. It will be presented to the full committee next week.

The money would be used to look at batteries and storage devices, hybridization and electrification, hydrogen fuel cells, engine systems and components. Along with this would be further research for medium-to-heavy-duty commercial trucks and transit vehicles, and to recruit new industry participants such as parts suppliers. Earlier this week, a bill was passed allowing increased funds for the development of CNG powered vehicles. Our current Congress is definitely on the right track, but may have to become more forceful.

There needs to be legislation that demands US automakers deliver electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric cars, CNG and LPG vehicles and biodiesel capable trucks and cars. Without such laws, the automakers are reticent to build these alternate energy vehicles and instead rely on the business as usual approach. In order to lessen our demand for foreign oil, this is exactly what it will take.

Since the US Government now owns a majority of GM, there would not be any issues or conflicts in legislating that the company produce these vehicles. A timeline needs to be put in place with sanctions that apply to automakers who lag behind. We want the ability to walk into our local car dealers and have a choice of alternate energy cars and trucks. Today, there is simply no choice as they all burn gasoline or diesel fuel.

Natural Gas Bill Passes Muster in the US House of Representatives

The US House of Representatives, by unanimous consent, passed H.R. 1622—a bill that would direct the Secretary of Energy to: (1) conduct a five-year program of natural gas vehicle research, development, and demonstration; and (2) coordinate with the natural gas vehicle industry and with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding streamlining the certification of natural gas conversion systems to federal certification requirements and in-use emission standards.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK), would authorize $30 million a year from fiscal 2010 to 2014 for natural gas vehicle research and development.

There are several other bills currently in Congress that would increase the efforts on natural gas vehicles or establish policies conducive to their adoption, including S.1408, the NAT GAS act, in the Senate.


Source: Green Car Congress