I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4399 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 16, 2009 Mr. Serrano (for himself, Mr. Terry, Mr. Maffei, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Carnahan, and Mr. Israel) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To further the national deployment of electric drive vehicles, to strengthen and enhance the national power grid through the integration of such vehicles, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the American Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Act.

2.

Electric vehicle program establishment and goals

(a)

Establishment

Subject to amounts made available in advance in appropriations Acts, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the United States Postal Service, shall establish a program, to be carried out in 2 phases, to award funds for the manufacture, testing, and delivery of at least 20,000 electric drive United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles or other road vehicles for local postal delivery, to further the deployment of electric drive vehicles and the development of grid services using electric drive vehicles, including Vehicle-to-Grid. (b)

Goals of the program

The goals of the program established pursuant to subsection (a) are— (1)to stimulate private industry development of highly efficient electric drive vehicles, advanced electric drive powertrains, Electric Vehicle Battery Packs, and charging infrastructure by providing large-scale customer demand to purchase, test, and deploy electric drive vehicles and advanced electric drive powertrain conversion kits nationwide; (2)to provide Smart Grid integration by establishing a large-scale test bed in multiple regions of the United States for utilities, fleet owners, Independent System Operators, and aggregators to develop charging infrastructure, protocols, and standards for Vehicle-to-Grid deployment and other grid services using electric drive vehicles; (3)to independently assess the performance and economic and environmental costs and benefits of electric drive vehicles and advanced electric drive powertrains and to make the results of such assessment publicly available through an information clearinghouse to the extent consistent with the protection of proprietary information; (4)to support development of renewable energy systems by aggregating and facilitating the use of vehicle battery storage capabilities to accommodate the intermittency of emerging renewable energy systems, particularly wind systems; and (5)to support the eventual transition of the United States Postal Service fleet to electric drive vehicles for postal delivery.

3.

Requirements for Phase I of the electric vehicle program

(a)

Phase I areas of interest

The Secretary, after consultation with the United States Postal Service, shall, at a minimum, award funds to carry out the following areas of interest under the program established pursuant to section 2(a): (1)

All-electric trucks

(A)

In general

The production and delivery of 2,000 all-electric trucks that meet the requirements of subparagraph (B). (B)

Requirements

An all-electric truck under subparagraph (A) shall— (i)be capable of interchangeably using Electric Vehicle Battery Packs sized at 20 kilowatt-hours, 30 kilowatt-hours, or 40 kilowatt-hours of useful kilowatt-hour capacity or have a driving range of greater than 75 miles on a single charge; (ii)use a maximum of 676 watt-hours per mile on a 50 percent-derated US06 urban driving cycle, including the benefits of regenerative braking when operated in a moderate climate; (iii)have a durable design for a minimum of a 10-year service life; (iv)have a minimum internal cargo capacity of 175 cubic feet or 1,750 pounds; (v)have met all applicable requirements of chapter III and chapter V of subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations before being delivered; (vi)be capable of attaining a minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (vii)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (viii)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (ix)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (x)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (xi)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xii)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xiii)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (C)

Deliveries

Deliveries of all-electric trucks under subparagraph (A) to the United States Postal Service shall begin by month 13 and conclude not later than the end of month 15 after the program start date. (D)

Electric Vehicle Battery Packs

Each recipient of an award of funds under this paragraph shall also deliver an additional number of Electric Vehicle Battery Packs equal to 20 percent of the number of all-electric trucks delivered by such recipient. The timing, delivery point, and composition of Electric Vehicle Battery Pack nameplate capacity shall be determined by the coordinating entity. (E)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 1 or 2 awards of funds to produce a total of 2,000 all-electric trucks under this paragraph. If the Secretary determines no applicant for an award of funds under this paragraph is qualified and responsive, then funds appropriated for the area of interest under this paragraph shall be used instead to increase the number of vehicles produced pursuant to paragraph (2). (2)

New electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles and new Derivative Electric Vehicles

(A)

In general

The design, qualification, production, and delivery of— (i)4,000 new electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles that meet the requirements of subparagraph (B); and (ii)200 new Derivative Electric Vehicles that meet the requirements of subparagraph (C). (B)

New electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle requirements

A new electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle under subparagraph (A) shall be a new highly efficient all-electric vehicle, intended to replace an existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle, and shall— (i)be capable of interchangeably using Electric Vehicle Battery Packs sized at 20 kilowatt-hours, 30 kilowatt-hours, or 40 kilowatt-hours of useful kilowatt-hour capacity; (ii)use a maximum of 338 watt-hours per mile on a 50 percent-derated US06 urban driving cycle, including the benefits of regenerative braking when operated in a moderate climate; (iii)have an all-aluminum body similar to the body of an existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle with a durable design for an expected 20-year service life; (iv)have a minimum internal cargo capacity of 175 cubic feet or 1,750 pounds; (v)have right-hand drive; (vi)have met all applicable requirements of chapter III and chapter V of subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations before being delivered; (vii)be capable of attaining a minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (viii)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (ix)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (x)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (xi)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (xii)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xiii)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xiv)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (C)

New Derivative Electric Vehicle requirements

A new Derivative Electric Vehicle under subparagraph (A)(ii) shall be a new highly efficient all-electric vehicle that uses the chassis and powertrain design of a new electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle that meets the requirements under subparagraph (B) and shall— (i)be capable of interchangeably using Electric Vehicle Battery Packs sized at 20 kilowatt-hours, 30 kilowatt-hours, or 40 kilowatt-hours of useful kilowatt-hour capacity; (ii)use a maximum of 563 watt-hours per mile on a 50 percent-derated US06 urban driving cycle, including the benefits of regenerative braking when operated in a moderate climate; (iii)have the upper body of the manufacturer’s choosing (such as a taxi or pickup truck body) to enable the vehicle to be used for a variety of purposes, including mail delivery, and with a durable design to last a minimum of 10 years or 150,000 miles; (iv)have met all applicable requirements of chapter III and chapter V of subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations before being delivered; (v)be capable of attaining a minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (vi)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (vii)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (viii)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (ix)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (x)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xi)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xii)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (D)

Deliveries

Delivery of vehicles under subparagraph (A) to the United States Postal Service shall begin by month 25 and conclude not later than the end of month 30 after the program start date. (E)

Electric Vehicle Battery Packs

Each recipient of an award of funds under this paragraph shall also deliver an additional number of Electric Vehicle Battery Packs equal to 20 percent of the number of vehicles delivered by such recipient. The timing, delivery point, and composition of Electric Vehicle Battery Pack nameplate capacity shall be determined by the coordinating entity. (F)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 2 awards of funds under this paragraph. (3)

Electric drive powertrains

(A)

In general

The design, qualification, production, and delivery of advanced electric drive powertrains for converting existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles in the following quantities— (i)1,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrains that meet the requirements of subparagraph (B); and (ii)2,000 all-electric powertrains that meet the requirements of subparagraph (C). (B)

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain requirements

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain under subparagraph (A) shall be a vehicle powertrain that combines an internal combustion engine, a battery, and an electric motor and that, when joined with the upper body of a existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle shall— (i)have a minimum range of 20 all-electric miles on an Environmental Protection Agency urban driving cycle; (ii)have a minimum gasoline fuel economy of 45 miles per gallon on combined urban and highway driving cycles, as determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (iii)have a minimum fuel tank capacity of 7.5 gallons; (iv)have an advanced-chemistry battery pack design with an anticipated lifetime use without replacement of a minimum of 10 years and 150,000 miles under normal driving conditions; (v)have passed applicable defrosting, cabin warming, seatbelt, and lighting tests from the Federal motor vehicle safety standards before being delivered; (vi)have a durable design for a minimum 10-year service life; (vii)have a minimum internal cargo capacity of 125 cubic feet or 1,250 pounds; (viii)have idle stop, regenerative braking, and engine-off (electric vehicle-only mode) as integrated features; (ix)be capable of attaining a minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (x)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (xi)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (xii)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (xiii)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (xiv)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xv)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xvi)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (C)

All-electric powertrain requirements

An all-electric powertrain under subparagraph (A) shall be an all-electric vehicle powertrain that, when joined with the upper body of a existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle shall— (i)be capable of interchangeably using Electric Vehicle Battery Packs sized at 20 kilowatt-hours, 30 kilowatt-hours, or 40 kilowatt-hours of useful kilowatt-hour capacity; (ii)use a maximum of 563 watt-hours per mile on a 50 percent-derated US06 urban driving cycle, including the benefits of regenerative braking when operated in a moderate climate; (iii)have passed applicable defrosting, cabin warming, seatbelt, and lighting tests from the Federal motor vehicle safety standards before being delivered; (iv)have a durable design for a minimum of a 10-year service life; (v)have a minimum internal cargo capacity of 125 cubic feet or 1,250 pounds; (vi)be capable of attaining a minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (vii)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (viii)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (ix)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (x)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (xi)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xii)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xiii)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (D)

Deliveries

Delivery of all-electric powertrains and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrains under subparagraph (A) to recipients of funds for the area of interest under paragraph (4) shall begin by month 19 and conclude not later than the end of month 23 after the program start date. (E)

Electric Vehicle Battery Packs

Each recipient of an award of funds for the design, qualification, production, and delivery of all-electric powertrains under this paragraph shall also deliver an additional number of Electric Vehicle Battery Packs equal to 20 percent of the number of powertrains under subparagraph (A) delivered by such recipient. The timing, delivery point, and composition of Electric Vehicle Battery Pack nameplate capacity shall be determined by the coordinating entity. (F)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 4 awards of funds under this paragraph for all-electric powertrains and 2 awards of funds for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrains. If the Secretary determines no applicant for an award of funds under this paragraph is qualified and responsive, then funds for the area of interest under this paragraph shall be used instead to increase the number of vehicles produced pursuant to paragraph (2). (4)

Conversion of existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles

(A)

In general

The preparation and conversion of 3,000 existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles to electric drive using all-electric powertrains and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrains delivered pursuant to paragraph (3). (B)

Deliveries

Delivery of United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles converted pursuant to subparagraph (A) to the United States Postal Service shall begin by month 20 and conclude not later than the end of month 24 after the program start date. (C)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 2 awards of funds under this paragraph. (5)

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

(A)

In general

The production and delivery of 1,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that meet the requirements of subparagraph (B). (B)

Requirements

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle under subparagraph (A) shall— (i)have a minimum range of 20 all-electric miles on an Environmental Protection Agency urban driving cycle; (ii)have a minimum gasoline fuel economy of 30 miles per gallon on combined urban and highway drive cycles, as determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (iii)have an advanced-chemistry battery pack design with an anticipated lifetime use without replacement of a minimum of 10 years and 150,000 miles under normal driving conditions; (iv)have a durable design for a minimum 10-year service life; (v)have a minimum internal cargo capacity of 50 cubic feet or 500 pounds; (vi)have idle stop, regenerative braking, and engine-off (electric vehicle-only mode) as integrated features; (vii)have met all applicable requirements of chapter III and chapter V of subtitle B of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations before being delivered; (viii)be capable of attaining minimum highway speed of 70 miles per hour on a level grade and 40 miles per hour going up a 10 percent grade; (ix)have 4-wheels with forward and reverse drive capabilities; (x)have a curb weight of less than 5,000 pounds; (xi)have a turning radius of less than 50 feet; (xii)be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 15 seconds and braking from 30 to 0 miles per hour in less than 55 feet; (xiii)be capable of continuously and safely ascending and descending 20 percent slopes at 20 miles per hour for up to one minute; (xiv)be Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (xv)be compatible with and use charging stations produced and installed pursuant to paragraph (6). (C)

Deliveries

Deliveries of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles under subparagraph (A) to the United States Postal Service shall begin by month 13 and conclude not later than the end of month 15 after the program start date. (D)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 1 or 2 awards of funds under this paragraph to produce a total of 1,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. If the Secretary determines no applicant for an award of funds under this paragraph is qualified and responsive, then funds for the area of interest under this paragraph shall be used instead to increase the number of vehicles produced pursuant to paragraph (2). (6)

Charging stations

(A)

In general

The design, production, and installation of 12,000 charging stations that meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) at United States Postal Service facilities, including areas accessible by the general public. (B)

Requirements

A charging station under subparagraph (A) shall— (i)use a connector that meets the Society of Automotive Engineers International J1772 standard (or its successor) and be capable of Level II charging; (ii)be capable of supplying 208/240 volts and 80 amperes continuous; (iii)have a unique identification code; (iv)be capable of transmitting such unique identification code to the vehicle plugged in to it; and (v)be capable of being connected to the Internet through a communications facility such as powerline carrier, cellular network, or wireless internet protocol. (C)

Installation

Installation of 3,600 charging stations shall be completed by the end of month 12 after the program start date, with the balance of the charging stations to be installed by the end of month 18 after the program start date. (D)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 2 to 4 awards of funds to produce and install a total of 12,000 charging stations under this paragraph. (7)

Smart Grid technology

(A)

In general

The deployment of Smart Grid technologies, principally Vehicle-to-Grid, for vehicles delivered pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5) to connect to the power grid for charging and discharging and the provision of grid services. (B)

Award recipients

(i)

Award teams

Each recipient of an award of funds under this paragraph shall include a utility, Independent System Operator, and a separate entity acting as aggregator of electric vehicle charging demand. (ii)

Geographic diversity

In awarding funds under this paragraph, the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, select award teams described in clause (i) that represent a broad range of geographic areas in the United States and shall ensure that a minimum of 1,000 vehicles from the test fleet and 1,200 charging stations are deployed to the geographic service area represented by each such award team. (iii)

Multiple award team membership

No Independent System Operator may belong to more than 2 award teams described in clause (i). (iv)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 7 awards of funds under this paragraph. (8)

Lithium ion battery repurposing

(A)

In general

Activities to increase lithium ion battery repurposing and lithium ion battery recycling infrastructure, including— (i)analyses of business models and demonstration of uses of lithium ion batteries after the removal of such batteries from electric drive vehicles; and (ii)building or increasing production capacity of a lithium ion battery recycling plant in the United States that has demonstrated the ability to recycle a minimum of 2,000 lithium ion battery packs per month (or equivalent throughput). (B)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make 2 awards of funds under this paragraph. (9)

Standards and safety policies

(A)

In general

The development of standards and safety policies for, at a minimum, the following categories relating to deployment of the test fleet: (i)Standards for electricity tariffs for Vehicle-to-Grid or time-of-day charging, or both. (ii)Standards for communication protocols involving electric drive batteries and Vehicle-to-Grid or other grid services. (iii)Standards for battery safety and battery recycling. (iv)Standards for charging station infrastructure. (v)Standards for integration of the test fleet with intermittent renewable energy sources (especially wind). (B)

Target number of awards

To encourage competition, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make a minimum of 1 award of funds for each award category described under subparagraph (A). (b)

Intent of Congress

It is the intent of Congress to encourage the greatest amount of competition and the widest range of applicants (including large and small and geographically diverse companies) to receive awards of funds for the areas of interest under subsection (a). (c)

Awards

(1)

Competitive solicitation

The Secretary shall issue a competitive solicitation for awards of Federal funds for the areas of interest under subsection (a). (2)

Federal share

The Secretary shall determine the amount of funds each recipient of an award of funds under this Act shall provide, from non-Federal sources, to carry out the activities supported by the award of funds. Recipients of awards of funds under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (5) of subsection (a) may receive awards of funds of up to 80 percent of the total costs to carry out development and qualification activities for a project under each such respective paragraph. (d)

Assessment, Coordination, and Data Analyses Requirements

The Secretary shall, for assessment, coordination, and data analyses, make one award of funds for each of the following areas of interest under the program established pursuant to section 2(a): (1)

Charge and use data collection

Collection and assessment of charge and use data for the test fleet to capture actual daily vehicle use data and conditions in the field for determining the economic cost per vehicle mile of operation. (2)

Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid data collection

Collection and assessment of charging data and grid services provided, including Vehicle-to-Grid, for all vehicles in the test fleet, including— (A)analysis of the total energy added to each Electric Vehicle Battery Pack in the test fleet per day; (B)quantification of battery use for Vehicle-to-Grid activity per vehicle per day; (C)analyses of the value of Vehicle-to-Grid and other grid services provided per vehicle per day; and (D)evaluation of charging station performance and usage. (3)

Assessment of mission requirements

Assessment of how well the test fleet vehicles meet stated United States Postal Service vehicle objectives, including mission requirements, availability, cost of ownership, energy use per mile, and maintenance summaries. Such assessment shall include semiannual vehicle and powertrain evaluations for each type of vehicle in the test fleet. (4)

Economic and environmental impacts

Analysis of the economic and environmental impacts of all aspects of the test fleet (as compared to existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles), including— (A)projected operating costs per mile for each of the powertrains and vehicles produced under Phase I; (B)projected revenues from Vehicle-to-Grid or other grid services per vehicle per day; and (C)articulation of environmental impacts of continued deployment of electric drive vehicles for the United States Postal Service. (5)

Education and outreach

Education and outreach to inform the general public, industry, and State and local governments about the objectives and results of the program established pursuant to section 2(a). (6)

Coordination, overall assessment, and summary report on Phase I

(A)

Coordinating entity

The Secretary, after consultation with the United States Postal Service and the Postal Regulatory Commission, shall make an award of funds to an independent, non-governmental entity, to provide coordination of Phase I, including coordination and timing of the delivery of vehicles, powertrains, Electric Vehicle Battery Packs, and charging stations from award recipients under subsection (a). Coordination shall include recommendations of specific allocations of vehicles and charging stations by location consistent with the goals of the program established pursuant to section 2(a) and subject to the approval of the Secretary. The entity selected to receive an award of funds under this paragraph shall have demonstrated expertise in electric vehicles and postal needs and regulation. (B)

Reports

(i)

Phase I report

The entity selected to receive an award of funds under this paragraph shall prepare a report that evaluates the product and performance of each award recipient under subsection (a). Such report shall be based on the data and analyses described in paragraphs (1) through (4), the results of the testing conducted pursuant to subsection (e), the least cost of ownership, United States Postal Service mission requirements, and any other relevant factors. The report shall contain recommendations for the Secretary to consider in awarding funds under Phase II, including a ranking of Phase I award recipients for production of additional vehicles and charging stations under Phase II. In extraordinary circumstances, such as unexpected technological developments or breakthroughs, the report may include a recommendation of a company or companies that were not Phase I award recipients for the award of funds for the production of vehicles or charging stations for Phase II. The report required under this clause shall be submitted to the Secretary not later than 90 days after the submission of data and analyses described in paragraphs (1) through (4) and the results of the testing conducted pursuant to subsection (e). (ii)

Phase II annual reports

The entity selected to receive an award of funds under this paragraph shall review the performance of Phase II award recipients and the quality of Phase II vehicles and submit an annual report to the Secretary assessing the deployment of Phase II vehicles by the United States Postal Service for 2 years after the delivery date of such Phase II vehicles. (C)

Award recipient considerations

In selecting the award recipient under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider the ability of each applicant to provide objective, unbiased assessments not only with respect to individual companies but also with respect to competing technologies and competing segments of the electric vehicle industry (such as all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles). (e)

Accelerated use testing by Department of Energy National Laboratories

(1)

Accelerated use testing of battery packs in a laboratory setting

The Secretary shall direct one or more of the Department of Energy National Laboratories to conduct tests of the Electric Vehicle Battery Packs delivered pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (a), the results of which shall be submitted to the Secretary and the coordinating entity, to determine— (A)battery pack cycle life in likely use; and (B)the projected economic cost per vehicle mile of operation. (2)

Accelerated use testing of powertrains inside and outside of a laboratory setting

The Secretary shall direct one or more of the Department of Energy National Laboratories to conduct tests of the powertrains delivered pursuant to subsection (a), the results of which shall be submitted to the Secretary and the coordinating entity, to determine— (A)powertrain life and warranty needs in projected use; and (B)the projected economic cost per vehicle mile of operation. (f)

Data completion and integrity

(1)

Data completion

All Phase 1 data and analyses under paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (d) and the results of the tests conducted pursuant to subsection (e) shall be submitted to the Secretary and the coordinating entity not later than 44 months after the program start date. (2)

Integrity of testing and data collection

The Inspector General of the United States Postal Service and the Inspector General of the Department of Energy shall have joint responsibility to ensure the integrity of all testing and data collection and the objectivity of all assessments and reports under this section. (g)

Disqualifications

(1)

Independent assessment

No person or entity who has a financial interest in any member of team or entity applying for an award of funds under subsection (a) shall be allowed to participate in any project for any area of interest under subsection (d). (2)

Independent coordination

Any applicant for the award of funds under subsection (d)(6) shall be disqualified from receiving an award of funds under subsection (a). (h)

Revenues deposited into fund

(1)

Establishment of fund

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the Postal Service Sustainability Fund, consisting of such amounts as may be appropriated to the Postal Service Sustainability Fund as provided in this section. (2)

Transfers to Fund

There are hereby appropriated to the Postal Service Sustainability Fund any amounts received for grid services pursuant to subsection (a)(7) and any other revenues of United States Postal Service generated through activities under this Act. (3)

Expenditures from Postal Service Sustainability Fund

Amounts in the Postal Service Sustainability Fund shall be available, as provided by appropriation Acts, in any year for use by the United States Postal Service to make capital improvements to its infrastructure (including vehicles and facilities) to benefit the environment.

4.

Program Requirements for Phase II

(a)

Report by the Inspector General

Not later than 60 days after the submission of the report required under section 3(d)(6)(B)(i), the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service shall review such report and submit to the Secretary a separate report with recommendations for specific vehicles and charging stations for Phase II. (b)

Teams for production

On the basis of the report required under section 3(d)(6)(B)(i) and the report of the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select the recipient or recipients for awards of funds for Phase II for the production and delivery of 10,000 electric postal delivery vehicles and 12,000 charging stations.

5.

Buy American priority

In awarding funds for Phase I and Phase II of the program established pursuant to section 2(a), the Secretary shall give priority to applicants that have demonstrated commitment to— (1)if sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of a satisfactory quality are available, using— (A)only such unmanufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been mined or produced in the United States; and (B)only such manufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been manufactured in the United States substantially all from articles, materials, or supplies mined, produced, or manufactured, as the case may be, in the United States; and (2)entering into contracts, with respect to any area of interest under this Act, that contain a provision that in the performance of the work of a contractor, subcontractors, material men, or suppliers, shall use— (A)only such unmanufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been mined or produced in the United States; and (B)only such manufactured articles, materials, and supplies as have been manufactured in the United States substantially all from articles, materials, or supplies mined, produced, or manufactured, as the case may be, in the United States.

6.

Information Clearinghouse

The Secretary, as part of the program established pursuant to section 2(a) and in compliance with Federal and State laws, shall collect and make publicly available information on the cost, performance, and other technical data regarding the deployment and integration of electric drive vehicles, charging stations, and Vehicle-to-Grid and other grid services, including the reports required under section 3(d)(6)(B). The Secretary shall establish rules for access to such information in a manner to protect proprietary information and to ensure that disclosing entities are not placed at a competitive disadvantage.

7.

Exemption

Activities or services provided by the United States Postal Service arising from the program established pursuant to section 2(a) shall be exempt from restrictions under section 404(e) of title 39, United States Code, and any regulation or order promulgated thereunder.

8.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)The term aggregator means a independent intermediary in the power industry that combines and coordinates the power needs of multiple vehicles during recharging and acts as a liaison between a Regional Transmission Operator or Independent System Operator and owners of battery packs and electric vehicles. (2)The term charge level set-points and protocols means guidelines issued by a battery manufacturer for the range of charge levels that a battery pack should be operated within in order to attain a given number of charge cycles, life duration, or other key performance metrics. (3)The term coordinating entity means the entity that receives an award of funds for the area of interest under section 3(d)(6). (4)The term cycle life means the total number of charge and discharge cycles a rechargeable battery cell or pack can sustain before the end of life of such battery cell or pack (meaning the battery cell or pack is capable of delivering only 80 percent of its initial rated ampere-hour capacity). (5)The term depth of discharge means the amount of energy that has been removed from a battery (or battery pack), typically expressed as a percentage of the total capacity of the battery. (6)The term Electric Vehicle Battery Pack means a battery pack that— (A)has a maximum nominal voltage between 300 and 600 volts of direct current; (B)is capable of being exchanged with other Electric Vehicle Battery Packs within 4 hours within the given vehicle or powertrain for which it is configured; (C)has an advanced-chemistry design and an anticipated cycle life without replacement of a minimum of 7 years under normal driving conditions; (D)if lithium-ion, has passed UN safety tests prior to deliveries of the test fleet; (E)is capable of satisfying the requirements under the program established pursuant to section 2(a) with respect to a vehicle or powertrain for which it is configured; (F)is Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible; and (G)with respect to a specific powertrain or vehicle in the test fleet, is designed to be interchangeable and, to the extent practicable is produced in equal quantities of 3 sizes of 20 kilowatt-hours, 30 kilowatt-hours, and 40 kilowatt-hours of useful kilowatt-hour capacity, respectively. (7)The term Environmental Protection Agency urban driving cycle means a test driving cycle incorporating a series of data points representing the speed of a vehicle versus time used by the Environmental Protection Agency to test and measure vehicle emissions. (8)The term existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle means a United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicle— (A)originally produced by Grumman Allied Industries, Inc.; and (B)used in 2009 for postal delivery. (9)The term 50 percent-derated US06 urban driving cycle means a test driving cycle in which the vehicle speed is 50 percent of that listed in the US06 driving cycle for each one second interval. (10)The term Federal motor vehicle standards means the standards under part 571 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. (11)The term financial interest means any interest in, or affiliation with, an applicant for an award of funds under the program established pursuant to section 2(a) in the 12 months prior to the date of application for such an award of funds. A financial interest includes— (A)an ownership interest that is more than 1 percent of equity or bonds outstanding; (B)a loan or other financial arrangement; and (C)employment (not including legal or consulting services) or arrangements for future employment. (12)The term grid services mean the provision of services of monetary value to the power grid, including— (A)regulation; (B)quick response emergency power at the grid level to prevent cascading shutdowns; (C)at the distribution system level, reducing load at substations and transformers at critical times when the grid is overloaded; and (D)the balancing of intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind. (13)The term Independent System Operator has the meaning given such term in section 3(28) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796(28)). (14)The term lifetime energy means the total energy available from a battery pack when operated using manufacturer defined depth-of-discharge and charge level set-points and protocols (including thermal management) during the period from its first use to the charge cycle when the battery pack can only be charged to 80 percent of its nameplate capacity. (15)The term nameplate capacity means the nominal maximum energy capacity of a battery pack. (16)The term Phase I means the portion of the program established pursuant to section 2(a) that occurs before Phase II. (17)The term Phase II means the portion of the program established pursuant to section 2(a) required under section 4, the production, deployment, and installation of the vehicles and charging stations described in section 4(b), and the reports required under section 3(d)(6)(B)(ii). (18)The term program start date means a date designated by the Secretary in consultation with the United States Postal Service that is not later than 90 days after the date of the first award of funds under the program established pursuant to section 2(a). (19)The term qualification means activities after the design phase that demonstrate that certain requirements are met by a product, including— (A)with respect to vehicles produced and delivered pursuant to this Act, meeting the Federal motor vehicle safety standards that require crash tests and data analysis; and (B)with respect to lithium ion Electric Vehicle Battery Packs developed and delivered pursuant to this Act, passing UN safety tests before vehicle deliveries begin. (20)The term Regional Transmission Organization has the meaning such term in section 3(27) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 796(27)). (21)The term regulation means, with respect to electric energy markets, continuous adjustment of and balancing of load and generation in response to a real time signal to maintain the grid frequency of 60 Hertz. (22)The term right hand drive means, with respect to a vehicle, that the driving seat and controls of such vehicle are on the right side of such vehicle. (23)The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy. (24)The term spinning reserves means available storage capacity that is infrequently called upon to provide power to the power grid in response to a real time signal in the event of an unplanned power shortage. (25)The term test fleet means the fleet of vehicles delivered pursuant to Phase I. (26)The term UN safety tests means the protocols and safety standards required for the safe transit of dangerous goods, including lithium ion batteries, as established by the United Nations Transport of Dangerous Goods subcommittee. (27)The term useful-kilowatt-hour means the energy capacity of a battery pack when operated within depth of discharge ranges established by the manufacturer to achieve cycle life, lifetime energy, longevity, and other performance goals of the battery pack. (28)The term US06 driving cycle means a test driving cycle used by the Environmental Protection Agency designed to simulate aggressive vehicle operation and used in the 5-cycle fuel economy measurement that incorporates fuel economy values from 5 different emission test cycles to get an overall fuel economy estimate to reflect real world driving. (29)The term Vehicle-to-Grid means use of an electric drive vehicle (battery, fuel cell, or hybrid) to provide power to the power grid for various uses while the vehicle is parked. (30)The term Vehicle-to-Grid Compatible means— (A)with respect to a Electric Vehicle Battery Pack delivered under the program established pursuant to section 2(a)— (i)is capable of recharging from an external source of electric energy at a rate of at least 15 kilowatts continuous; and (ii)is capable of discharging electric energy from the vehicle to the power grid at a rate of at least 15 kilowatts continuous; and (B)with respect to a vehicle delivered under the program established pursuant to section 2(a)— (i)is equipped with an Electric Vehicle Battery Pack that meets the requirements under subparagraph (A); (ii)is capable of drawing motive power from a battery with useful-kilowatt-hour capacity of at least 15 kilowatt-hours; and (iii)is equipped with on-board communications hardware and software that allow for the external computer control of the direction and rate of battery charging and discharging by an aggregator.

9.

Authorizations of appropriations

(a)

Phase I

(1)

All-electric trucks

There are authorized to be appropriated $125,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(1). (2)

New electric United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles and Derivative Electric Vehicles

There are authorized to be appropriated $415,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(2). (3)

Electric drive powertrains

There are authorized to be appropriated $480,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(3), with not more than one-fourth of such amount to be used for the design, production, and delivery of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrains. (4)

Conversion of existing United States Postal Service Long Life Vehicles

There are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(4). (5)

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

There are authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(5). (6)

Charging stations

There are authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(6). (7)

Smart grid technology

There are authorized to be appropriated $140,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(7). (8)

Lithium ion battery repurposing

There are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(8). (9)

Standards and safety policy

There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(a)(9). (10)

Charge and use data collection

There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(d)(1). (11)

Charging and Vehicle-to-Grid data collection

There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(d)(2). (12)

Assessment of mission requirements

There are authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(d)(3). (13)

Economic and environmental impacts

There are authorized to be appropriated $7,500,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(d)(4). (14)

Education and outreach

There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out the area of interest under section 3(d)(5). (15)

Coordination, overall assessment, and summary report on Phase I

There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 to carry out the coordination and report aspects of the area of interest under section 3(d)(6). (16)

Accelerated use testing of Battery Packs

There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 to carry out the testing under section 3(e)(1). (17)

Accelerated use testing of powertrains

There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 to carry out the testing under section 3(e)(2). (18)

Job training

There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to the Secretary during Phase I for the training of United States Postal Service employees for maintenance of postal electric vehicles delivered pursuant to this Act and installation and maintenance of related infrastructure. (19)

Additional awards

There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 to the Secretary during Phase I, for making additional awards of funds, at the discretion of the Secretary, to address other related issues, such as cold-weather performance of vehicles and batteries, possible integration into rural postal deliveries, and in-vehicle enhancements. (b)

Phase II

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $450,000,000 for the production and delivery of the vehicles and the installation of charging stations described in section 4(b). (c)

Administration and training

From the funds appropriated pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 in each fiscal year, the Secretary shall reimburse the United States Postal Service and the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service for any costs incurred in administering the program established pursuant to section 2(a).