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.