[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 10, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE PLUG-IN HYBRID OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2007

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                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 10, 2007

  Mr. MARKEY. Madam Speaker, the goals of achieving energy independence 
and reducing our global warming pollution cannot be adequately 
addressed without a transformation in our transportation sector. This 
sector lies at the nexus of the twin problems of our energy dependence 
and global warming. Two-thirds of the oil we consume every day goes 
into the transportation sector. After Congress mandated a doubling of 
fuel economy standards from 13.5 to 27.5 miles per gallon, our 
dependence on foreign oil went from 46.5% in 1977 to 27% in 1985. But 
since then our fuel economy standards have been stuck in neutral or 
even reverse and our dependence on imported oil has climbed to 60%.
  Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have the potential. Plug-in 
hybrid electric vehicles represent a technology that can significantly 
address these problems. While the transportation sector is powered 
mostly by oil, the nation-wide electricity grid is only 3% petroleum-
fueled according to the Energy Information Administration. Wide use of 
PHEVs can help transfer petroleum-intensive driving miles to nearly 
petroleum-free electricity. According to the Department of Energy's 
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, if the cars, trucks and SUVs on 
the road were replaced by PHEVs, 84% could be powered using existing 
electrical generation infrastructure. This same paper found that 
replacing our Light-Duty Fleet with plug-in hybrids could reduce our 
oil consumption by 6.5 million barrels per day and our emission of 
heat-trapping gasses by 27%.
  PHEV technology is beginning to become available and some automakers 
have produced prototypes and are beginning to announce long-term plans 
to manufacture plug-in hybrids. However, technology already exists 
making it possible to convert the roughly 1 million hybrid vehicles 
that will be on the road this year into plug-in hybrids, capable of 
getting 150 miles per gallon. This conversion would allow existing 
hybrids to begin traveling between 20 and 60 miles on a single charge, 
while using very little gasoline.
  With initial conversion costs ranging from $6,000 to $9,500 depending 
on the size of the battery, the ``Plug-in Hybrid Opportunity Act of 
2007'' would provide consumers with a vital tax incentive of 35% of the 
cost of conversion, cap the potential credit at $4,000 and expire after 
3 years. It is essential that these conversions be included under the 
plug-in hybrid tax credit, after meeting all the appropriate safety and 
environmental testing certifications, so that we can begin reducing our 
dependence on foreign oil and global warming pollution by realizing the 
benefits of plug-in hybrids now.

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