[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6323 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  2d Session
                                H. R. 6323


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 25 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

                                Received

            October 2 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

  Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To establish a research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application program to promote research of appropriate technologies for 
      heavy duty plug-in hybrid vehicles, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, 
Development, and Demonstration Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCED HEAVY DUTY HYBRID VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, 
              DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a competitive 
research, development, demonstration, and commercial application 
program (referred to in this Act as the ``program'') to provide grants 
to applicants to carry out projects to advance research and development 
and to demonstrate technologies for advanced heavy duty hybrid 
vehicles.
    (b) Applications.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall issue requirements for 
        applying for grants under the program.
            (2) Selection criteria.--The Secretary shall establish 
        selection criteria for awarding grants under the program. In 
        evaluating applications, the Secretary shall--
                    (A) consider the ability of applicants to 
                successfully complete both phases described in 
                subsection (c); and
                    (B) give priority to applicants who are best able 
                to--
                            (i) fill existing research gaps and achieve 
                        the greatest advances beyond the state of 
                        current technology; and
                            (ii) achieve the greatest reduction in fuel 
                        consumption and emissions.
            (3) Partners.--An applicant for a grant under this section 
        may carry out a project in partnership with other entities.
            (4) Schedule.--
                    (A) Application request.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
                Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register, and 
                elsewhere as appropriate, a request for applications to 
                undertake projects under the program. Applications 
                shall be due not later than 90 days after the date of 
                such publication.
                    (B) Application selection.--Not later than 90 days 
                after the date on which applications for grants under 
                the program are due, the Secretary shall select, 
                through a competitive process, all applicants to be 
                awarded a grant under the program.
            (5) Number of grants.--The Secretary shall determine the 
        number of grants to be awarded under the program based on the 
        technical merits of the applications received. The number of 
        grants awarded under the program shall not be less than 3 or 
        more than 7, and at least half of the grants awarded shall be 
        for plug-in hybrid technology.
            (6) Award amounts.--The Secretary shall award not more than 
        $3,000,000 to each recipient per year for each of the 3 years 
        of the project.
    (c) Program Requirements; Two Phases.--Each grant recipient shall 
be required to complete two phases:
            (1) Phase one.--
                    (A) In general.--In phase one, the recipient shall 
                research and demonstrate advanced hybrid technology by 
                producing or retrofitting one or more advanced heavy 
                duty hybrid vehicles.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the 
                completion of phase one, the recipient shall submit to 
                the Secretary a report containing data and analysis 
                of--
                            (i) the performance of each vehicle in 
                        carrying out the testing procedures developed 
                        by the Secretary under subparagraph (E);
                            (ii) the performance during such testing of 
                        each vehicle's components, including the 
                        battery, energy management system, charging 
                        system, and power controls;
                            (iii) the projected cost of each vehicle, 
                        including acquisition, operating, and 
                        maintenance costs; and
                            (iv) the emissions levels of each vehicle, 
                        including greenhouse gas levels.
                    (C) Termination.--The Secretary may terminate the 
                grant program with respect to the project of a 
                recipient at the conclusion of phase one if the 
                Secretary determines that the recipient cannot 
                successfully complete the requirements of phase two.
                    (D) Timing.--Phase one begins upon receipt of a 
                grant under the program and has a duration of one year.
                    (E) Testing procedures.--The Secretary shall 
                develop standard testing procedures to be used by 
                recipients in testing each vehicle. Such procedures 
                shall include testing a vehicle's performance under 
                typical operating conditions.
            (2) Phase two.--
                    (A) In general.--In phase two, the recipient shall 
                demonstrate advanced manufacturing processes and 
                technologies by producing or retrofitting 50 advanced 
                heavy duty hybrid vehicles.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the 
                completion of phase two, the recipient shall submit to 
                the Secretary a report containing--
                            (i) an analysis of the technological 
                        challenges encountered by the recipient in the 
                        development of the vehicles;
                            (ii) an analysis of the technological 
                        challenges involved in mass producing the 
                        vehicles; and
                            (iii) the manufacturing cost of each 
                        vehicle, the estimated sale price of each 
                        vehicle, and the cost of a comparable non-
                        hybrid vehicle.
                    (C) Timing.--Phase two begins at the conclusion of 
                phase one and has a duration of two years.
    (d) Research on Vehicle Usage and Alternative Drive Trains.--The 
Secretary shall conduct research into alternative power train designs 
for use in advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles. Such research shall 
compare the estimated cost, including operating and maintenance costs, 
emissions reductions, and fuel savings of each design with similar non-
hybrid power train designs under the conditions in which these vehicles 
are typically used, including, for each vehicle type--
            (1) number of miles driven;
            (2) time spent with the engine at idle;
            (3) horsepower requirements;
            (4) length of time the maximum or near maximum power output 
        of the vehicle is needed; and
            (5) any other factors that the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (e) Report to the Congress.--Not later than 60 days after the 
Secretary receives the reports from grant recipients under subsection 
(c)(2)(B), the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report 
containing--
            (1) an identification of the grant recipients and a 
        description of the projects to be funded;
            (2) an identification of all applicants who submitted 
        applications for the program;
            (3) all data contained in reports submitted by grant 
        recipients under subsection (c);
            (4) a description of the vehicles produced or retrofitted 
        by recipients in phase one and phase two of the project, 
        including an analysis of the fuel efficiency of such vehicles; 
        and
            (5) the results of the research carried out under 
        subsections (d) and (h).
    (f) Coordination and Nonduplication.--To the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate, and not duplicate, 
activities under this Act with other programs and laboratories of the 
Department of Energy and other Federal research programs.
    (g) Cost Sharing.--Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to the program established pursuant to this 
section.
    (h) Electrical Grid Research Pilot Program.--The Secretary shall 
establish a pilot program through the National Laboratories and 
Technology Centers of the Department of Energy to research and test the 
effects on the domestic electric power grid of the widespread use of 
plug-in hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrid vehicles that are 
advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles.
    (i) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicle.--The term 
        ``advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicle'' means a vehicle with a 
        gross weight between 14,000 pounds and 33,000 pounds that is 
        fueled, in part, by a rechargeable energy storage system.
            (2) Greenhouse gas.--The term ``greenhouse gas'' means--
                    (A) carbon dioxide;
                    (B) methane;
                    (C) nitrous oxide;
                    (D) hydrofluorocarbons;
                    (E) perfluorocarbons; or
                    (F) sulfur hexafluoride.
            (3) Plug-in hybrid.--The term ``plug-in hybrid'' means a 
        vehicle fueled, in part, by electrical power that can be 
        recharged by connecting the vehicle to an electric power 
        source.
            (4) Retrofit.--The term ``retrofit'' means the process of 
        creating an advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicle by converting an 
        existing, fuel-powered vehicle.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
        Secretary $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 
        2011 to carry out this section.
            (2) Of the funds authorized under paragraph (1), not more 
        than $1,000,000 per fiscal year may be used for--
                    (A) carrying out the studies required under 
                subsection (d);
                    (B) carrying out the pilot program required under 
                subsection (h); and
                    (C) the administration of the program.

SEC. 3. EXPANDING RESEARCH IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY FOR LARGE VEHICLES.

    Subsection (g)(1) of the United States Energy Storage 
Competitiveness Act of 2007 (enacted as section 641(g)(1) of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17231(g)(1))) is 
amended by inserting ``vehicles with a gross weight over 16,000 
pounds,'' before ``stationary applications''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 24, 2008.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.