[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 734 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 734

 To provide for a program of research, development, demonstration, and 
  commercial application in vehicle technologies at the Department of 
                                Energy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                April 6 (legislative day, April 5), 2011

 Ms. Stabenow introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for a program of research, development, demonstration, and 
  commercial application in vehicle technologies at the Department of 
                                Energy.

    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 ``Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the Energy Information Administration, the 
        transportation sector accounts for approximately 28 percent of 
        the United States primary energy demand and greenhouse gas 
        emissions, and 24 percent of global oil demand.
            (2) The United States transportation sector is over 95 
        percent dependent on petroleum, and over 60 percent of 
        petroleum demand is met by imported supplies.
            (3) United States heavy truck fuel consumption will 
        increase 23 percent by 2030, while overall transportation 
        energy use will decline by 1 percent.
            (4) The domestic automotive and commercial vehicle 
        manufacturing sectors have increasingly limited resources for 
        research, development, and engineering of advanced 
        technologies.
            (5) Vehicle, engine, and component manufacturers are 
        playing a more important role in vehicle technology 
        development, and should be better integrated into Federal 
        research efforts.
            (6) Priorities for the Department of Energy's vehicle 
        technologies research have shifted drastically in recent years 
        among diesel hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in 
        electric hybrids, with little continuity among them.
            (7) The integration of vehicle, communication, and 
        infrastructure technologies has great potential for efficiency 
        gains through better management of the total transportation 
        system.
            (8) The Federal Government should balance its role in 
        researching longer-term exploratory concepts and developing 
        nearer-term transformational technologies for vehicles.

SEC. 3. OBJECTIVES.

    The objectives of this Act are to--
            (1) develop United States technologies and practices that--
                    (A) improve the fuel efficiency and emissions of 
                all vehicles produced in the United States; and
                    (B) reduce vehicle reliance on petroleum-based 
                fuels;
            (2) support domestic research, development, engineering, 
        demonstration, and commercial application and manufacturing of 
        advanced vehicles, engines, and components;
            (3) enable vehicles to move larger volumes of goods and 
        more passengers with less energy and emissions;
            (4) develop cost-effective advanced technologies for wide-
        scale utilization throughout the passenger, commercial, 
        government, and transit vehicle sectors;
            (5) allow for greater consumer choice of vehicle 
        technologies and fuels;
            (6) shorten technology development and integration cycles 
        in the vehicle industry;
            (7) ensure a proper balance and diversity of Federal 
        investment in vehicle technologies; and
            (8) strengthen partnerships between Federal and State 
        governmental agencies and the private and academic sectors.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for United 
States research, development, engineering, demonstration, and 
commercial application of vehicles and related technologies, including 
activities authorized under this Act, such sums as may be necessary for 
each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016.

               TITLE I--VEHICLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

SEC. 101. PROGRAM.

    (a) Activities.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of basic and 
applied research, development, engineering, demonstration, and 
commercial application activities on materials, technologies, and 
processes with the potential to substantially reduce or eliminate 
petroleum use and the emissions of the Nation's passenger and 
commercial vehicles, including activities in the areas of--
            (1) hybridization or full electrification of vehicle 
        systems;
            (2) batteries and other energy storage devices;
            (3) power electronics;
            (4) vehicle, component, and subsystem manufacturing 
        technologies and processes;
            (5) engine efficiency and combustion optimization;
            (6) waste heat recovery;
            (7) transmission and drivetrains;
            (8) hydrogen vehicle technologies, including fuel cells and 
        internal combustion engines, and hydrogen infrastructure;
            (9) compressed natural gas vehicle technologies;
            (10) aerodynamics, rolling resistance, and accessory power 
        loads of vehicles and associated equipment;
            (11) vehicle weight reduction, including lightweighting 
        materials;
            (12) friction and wear reduction;
            (13) engine and component durability;
            (14) innovative propulsion systems;
            (15) advanced boosting systems;
            (16) hydraulic hybrid technologies;
            (17) engine compatibility with and optimization for a 
        variety of transportation fuels including natural gas and other 
        liquid and gaseous fuels;
            (18) predictive engineering, modeling, and simulation of 
        vehicle and transportation systems;
            (19) refueling and charging infrastructure for alternative 
        fueled and electric or plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, 
        including the unique challenges facing rural areas;
            (20) gaseous fuels storage systems and system integration 
        and optimization;
            (21) sensing, communications, and actuation technologies 
        for vehicle, electrical grid, and infrastructure;
            (22) efficient use, substitution, and recycling of 
        potentially critical materials in vehicles, including rare 
        earth elements and precious metals, at risk of supply 
        disruption;
            (23) aftertreatment technologies;
            (24) thermal management of battery systems;
            (25) retrofitting advanced vehicle technologies to existing 
        vehicles;
            (26) development of common standards, specifications, and 
        architectures for both transportation and stationary battery 
        applications;
            (27) advanced internal combustion engines; and
            (28) other research areas as determined by the Secretary.
    (b) Transformational Technology.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
the Department continues to support research, development, engineering, 
demonstration, and commercial application activities and maintains 
competency in mid- to long-term transformational vehicle technologies 
with potential to achieve deep reductions in petroleum use and 
emissions, including activities in the areas of--
            (1) hydrogen vehicle technologies, including fuel cells, 
        internal combustion engines, hydrogen storage, infrastructure, 
        and activities in hydrogen technology validation and safety 
        codes and standards;
            (2) multiple battery chemistries and novel energy storage 
        devices, including nonchemical batteries and electromechanical 
        storage technologies such as hydraulics, flywheels, and 
        compressed air storage;
            (3) communication and connectivity among vehicles, 
        infrastructure, and the electrical grid; and
            (4) other innovative technologies research and development, 
        as determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Industry Participation.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
activities under this Act shall be carried out in partnership or 
collaboration with automotive manufacturers, heavy commercial, 
vocational, and transit vehicle manufacturers, qualified plug-in 
electric vehicle manufacturers, compressed natural gas vehicle 
manufacturers, vehicle and engine equipment and component 
manufacturers, manufacturing equipment manufacturers, advanced vehicle 
service providers, fuel producers and energy suppliers, electric 
utilities, universities, national laboratories, and independent 
research laboratories. In carrying out this Act the Secretary shall--
            (1) determine whether a wide range of companies that 
        manufacture or assemble vehicles or components in the United 
        States are represented in ongoing public private partnership 
        activities, including firms that have not traditionally 
        participated in federally sponsored research and development 
        activities, and where possible, partner with such firms that 
        conduct significant and relevant research and development 
        activities in the United States;
            (2) leverage the capabilities and resources of, and 
        formalize partnerships with, industry-led stakeholder 
        organizations, nonprofit organizations, industry consortia, and 
        trade associations with expertise in the research and 
        development of, and education and outreach activities in, 
        advanced automotive and commercial vehicle technologies;
            (3) develop more efficient processes for transferring 
        research findings and technologies to industry;
            (4) give consideration to conversion of existing or former 
        vehicle technology development or manufacturing facilities for 
        the purposes of this Act;
            (5) establish and support public-private partnerships, 
        dedicated to overcoming barriers in commercial application of 
        transformational vehicle technologies, that utilize such 
        industry-led technology development facilities of entities with 
        demonstrated expertise in successfully designing and 
        engineering pre-commercial generations of such transformational 
        technology; and
            (6) promote efforts to ensure that technology research, 
        development, engineering, and commercial application activities 
        funded under this Act are carried out in the United States.
    (d) Interagency and Intraagency Coordination.--To the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordinate research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application activities 
among--
            (1) relevant programs within the Department, including--
                    (A) the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
                Energy;
                    (B) the Office of Science;
                    (C) the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 
                Reliability;
                    (D) the Office of Fossil Energy;
                    (E) the Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy; 
                and
                    (F) other offices as determined by the Secretary; 
                and
            (2) relevant technology research and development programs 
        within other Federal agencies, as determined by the Secretary.
    (e) Coordination and Nonduplication.--In coordinating activities 
the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that 
activities do not duplicate those of other programs within the 
Department or other relevant research agencies.
    (f) Federal Demonstration of Technologies.--The Secretary shall 
make information available to procurement programs of Federal agencies 
regarding the potential to demonstrate technologies resulting from 
activities funded through programs under this Act.
    (g) Intergovernmental Coordination.--The Secretary shall seek 
opportunities to leverage resources and support initiatives of State 
and local governments in developing and promoting advanced vehicle 
technologies, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
    (h) Criteria.--When awarding grants under this program, the 
Secretary shall give priority to those technologies (either 
individually or as part of a system) that--
            (1) provide the greatest aggregate fuel savings based on 
        the reasonable projected sales volumes of the technology; and
            (2) provide the greatest increase in United States 
        employment.

SEC. 102. SENSING AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES.

    The Secretary, in coordination with the relevant research programs 
of other Federal agencies, shall conduct research, development, 
engineering, and demonstration activities on connectivity of vehicle 
and transportation systems, including on sensing, computation, 
communication, and actuation technologies that allow for reduced fuel 
use, optimized traffic flow, and vehicle electrification, including 
technologies for--
            (1) onboard vehicle, engine, and component sensing and 
        actuation;
            (2) vehicle-to-vehicle sensing and communication;
            (3) vehicle-to-infrastructure sensing and communication; 
        and
            (4) vehicle integration with the electrical grid.

SEC. 103. MANUFACTURING.

    The Secretary shall carry out a research, development, engineering, 
demonstration, and commercial application program of advanced vehicle 
manufacturing technologies and practices, including innovative 
processes to--
            (1) increase the production rate and decrease the cost of 
        advanced battery manufacturing;
            (2) vary the capability of individual manufacturing 
        facilities to accommodate different battery chemistries and 
        configurations;
            (3) reduce waste streams, emissions, and energy-intensity 
        of vehicle, engine, advanced battery and component 
        manufacturing processes;
            (4) recycle and remanufacture used batteries and other 
        vehicle components for reuse in vehicles or stationary 
        applications;
            (5) produce cost-effective lightweight materials such as 
        advanced metal alloys, polymeric composites, and carbon fiber;
            (6) produce lightweight high pressure storage systems for 
        gaseous fuels;
            (7) design and manufacture purpose-built hydrogen and fuel 
        cell vehicles and components;
            (8) improve the calendar life and cycle life of advanced 
        batteries; and
            (9) produce permanent magnets for advanced vehicles.

SEC. 104. USER TESTING FACILITIES.

    Activities under this Act may include construction, expansion, or 
modification of new and existing vehicle, engine, and component 
research and testing facilities for--
            (1) testing or simulating interoperability of a variety of 
        vehicle components and systems;
            (2) subjecting whole or partial vehicle platforms to fully 
        representative duty cycles and operating conditions;
            (3) developing and demonstrating a range of chemistries and 
        configurations for advanced vehicle battery manufacturing; and
            (4) developing and demonstrating test cycles for new and 
        alternative fuels, and other advanced vehicle technologies.

SEC. 105. REPORTING.

    (a) Technologies Developed.--Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through 2017, the 
Secretary of Energy shall transmit to Congress a report regarding the 
technologies developed as a result of the activities authorized by this 
title, with a particular emphasis on whether the technologies were 
successfully adopted for commercial applications, and if so, whether 
products relying on those technologies are manufactured in the United 
States.
    (b) Additional Matters.--At the end of each fiscal year through 
2017 the Secretary shall submit to the relevant Congressional 
committees of jurisdiction an annual report describing activities 
undertaken in the previous year under this title, active industry 
participants, efforts to recruit new participants committed to design, 
engineering, and manufacturing of advanced vehicle technologies in the 
United States, progress of the program in meeting goals and timelines, 
and a strategic plan for funding of activities across agencies.

    TITLE II--MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY COMMERCIAL AND TRANSIT VEHICLES

SEC. 201. PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, in partnership with relevant 
research and development programs in other Federal agencies, and a 
range of appropriate industry stakeholders, shall carry out a program 
of cooperative research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities on advanced technologies for medium- to heavy-
duty commercial, vocational, recreational, and transit vehicles, 
including activities in the areas of--
            (1) engine efficiency and combustion research;
            (2) onboard storage technologies for compressed and 
        liquefied natural gas;
            (3) development and integration of engine technologies 
        designed for natural gas operation of a variety of vehicle 
        platforms;
            (4) waste heat recovery and conversion;
            (5) improved aerodynamics and tire rolling resistance;
            (6) energy and space-efficient emissions control systems;
            (7) heavy hybrid, hybrid hydraulic, plug-in hybrid, and 
        electric platforms, and energy storage technologies;
            (8) drivetrain optimization;
            (9) friction and wear reduction;
            (10) engine idle and parasitic energy loss reduction;
            (11) electrification of accessory loads;
            (12) onboard sensing and communications technologies;
            (13) advanced lightweighting materials and vehicle designs;
            (14) increasing load capacity per vehicle;
            (15) thermal management of battery systems;
            (16) recharging infrastructure;
            (17) compressed natural gas infrastructure;
            (18) advanced internal combustion engines;
            (19) complete vehicle modeling and simulation;
            (20) hydrogen vehicle technologies, including fuel cells 
        and internal combustion engines, and hydrogen infrastructure;
            (21) retrofitting advanced technologies onto existing truck 
        fleets; and
            (22) integration of these and other advanced systems onto a 
        single truck and trailer platform.
    (b) Leadership.--The Secretary shall appoint a full-time Director 
to coordinate research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application activities in medium- to heavy-duty commercial, 
recreational, and transit vehicle technologies. Responsibilities of the 
Director shall be to--
            (1) improve coordination and develop consensus between 
        government agency and industry partners, and propose new 
        processes for program management and priority setting to better 
        align activities and budgets among partners;
            (2) regularly convene workshops, site visits, 
        demonstrations, conferences, investor forums, and other events 
        in which information and research findings are shared among 
        program participants and interested stakeholders;
            (3) develop a budget for the Department's activities with 
        regard to the interagency program, and provide consultation and 
        guidance on vehicle technology funding priorities across 
        agencies;
            (4) determine a process for reviewing program technical 
        goals, targets, and timetables and, where applicable, aided by 
        life-cycle impact and cost analysis, propose revisions or 
        elimination based on program progress, available funding, and 
        rate of technology adoption;
            (5) evaluate ongoing activities of the program and 
        recommend project modifications, including the termination of 
        projects, where applicable;
            (6) recruit new industry participants to the interagency 
        program, including truck, trailer, and component manufacturers 
        who have not traditionally participated in federally sponsored 
        research and technology development activities; and
            (7) other responsibilities as determined by the Secretary, 
        in consultation with interagency and industry partners.
    (c) Reporting.--At the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Congress an annual report describing activities 
undertaken in the previous year, active industry participants, efforts 
to recruit new participants, progress of the program in meeting goals 
and timelines, and a strategic plan for funding of activities across 
agencies.

SEC. 202. CLASS 8 TRUCK AND TRAILER SYSTEMS DEMONSTRATION.

    The Secretary shall conduct a competitive grant program to 
demonstrate the integration of multiple advanced technologies on Class 
8 truck and trailer platforms with a goal of improving overall freight 
efficiency, as measured in tons and volume of freight hauled or other 
work performance-based metrics, by 50 percent, including a combination 
of technologies listed in section 201(a). Applicant teams may be 
comprised of truck and trailer manufacturers, engine and component 
manufacturers, fleet customers, university researchers, and other 
applicants as appropriate for the development and demonstration of 
integrated Class 8 truck and trailer systems.

SEC. 203. TECHNOLOGY TESTING AND METRICS.

    The Secretary, in coordination with the partners of the interagency 
research program described in section 201(a)--
            (1) shall develop standard testing procedures and 
        technologies for evaluating the performance of advanced heavy 
        vehicle technologies under a range of representative duty 
        cycles and operating conditions, including for heavy hybrid 
        propulsion systems;
            (2) shall evaluate heavy vehicle performance using work 
        performance-based metrics other than those based on miles per 
        gallon, including those based on units of volume and weight 
        transported for freight applications, and appropriate metrics 
        based on the work performed by nonroad systems; and
            (3) may construct heavy duty truck and bus testing 
        facilities.

SEC. 204. NONROAD SYSTEMS PILOT PROGRAM.

    The Secretary shall undertake a pilot program of research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial applications of technologies 
to improve total machine or system efficiency for nonroad mobile 
equipment including agricultural and construction equipment, and shall 
seek opportunities to transfer relevant research findings and 
technologies between the nonroad and on-highway equipment and vehicle 
sectors.
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