[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 127 (Thursday, September 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2230-E2232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HEAVY DUTY HYBRID VEHICLE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION ACT 
                                OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER, JR.

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2009

  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge support for my Hybrid 
Truck bill. New

[[Page E2231]]

taxes are not the only solution to climate change. We need to focus on 
our economy as we work to reduce our emissions. We can over-regulate 
our businesses, cripple our economic development, and watch as China 
and India race past us--sputtering greenhouse gases along the way--or 
Congress can create incentives that encourage the development of new 
technologies that will reduce our emissions, foster economic 
development, and allow U.S. manufacturers to export their energy-saving 
technologies worldwide.
  Commercial traffic is truly vital to the American economy, and the 
fuel costs for trucks directly affect costs for all Americans. Higher 
prices for their fuel raise the prices of our food, healthcare, 
manufacturing, retail, waste removal, and other goods and services. 
While our economy would not survive without them, trucks consume huge 
quantities of oil, which raises the cost of their business, increases 
our dependence on oil, and injects greenhouse gases into our 
environment.
  The answer is not to burden these businesses, already strained by 
high fuel costs, with additional taxes for the carbon dioxide they 
release. Instead, we need to encourage the development and introduction 
of technologies that will reduce their fuel consumption.
  The technologies we need already exist. Everyone has seen hybrid 
cars. This technology, which combines gas and electric motors for a 
powerful and efficient engine, is even more practical in trucks. Even 
though there are fewer trucks on the road, trucks use more fuel.
  Utility trucks, for example, typically drive short distances to and 
from a work site, but sit idle for hours while on site. A plug-in 
hybrid truck would use less fuel getting to and from the site, and 
could operate without any fuel while on site. Ultimately, a plug-in 
hybrid engine in a utility truck could use up to 60 percent less fuel.
  Delivery trucks constantly stop and go. Hybrid engines excel at this 
type of driving because the engine can essentially turn off during 
short accelerations, while coasting, and when it is at a stop.
  Developing these technologies will have benefits beyond fuel savings. 
By making our trucks more efficient, we will make our goods and 
services more affordable and become leaders in these new technologies. 
By helping American manufacturers research and commercialize new 
technologies, we can strengthen our economy, reduce our dependence on 
foreign oil, and lower our emissions.
  H.R. 445 is one example of how technology, not taxes, can solve our 
energy crisis. This legislation will accelerate research of plug-in 
hybrid technology in trucks by creating grants for manufacturers to 
build, test, and sell plug-in hybrid utility and delivery trucks. This 
bill will put plug-in hybrid trucks on the road and help advance 
research and accelerate commercialization of an important technology.
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the following 
memo regarding H.R. 445:

Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act 
                                of 2009


                         I. PURPOSE OF THE BILL

       The purpose of H.R. 445, the `Heavy Hybrid Truck Research, 
     Development, and Demonstration Act of 2009,' is to establish 
     a research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
     application program to promote research of appropriate 
     technologies for heavy duty hybrid vehicles, and for other 
     purposes.


                II. BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

       Because large, heavy duty trucks rely on a diesel or 
     gasoline internal combustion engine for power, they typically 
     have relatively low fuel economy and high emissions. This is 
     especially evident in trucks with duty-cycles that require 
     frequent starts and stops or long periods of engine idling to 
     power auxiliary systems such as bucket lifters, trash 
     compactors, off-board power tools, air conditioning, 
     refrigeration, or other work-related equipment. Switching a 
     portion of the driving and auxiliary power loads away from 
     the internal combustion engine to an alternate power source 
     would enable these vehicles to realize considerable fuel 
     savings and emissions reductions compared to conventional 
     models. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 
     that an average delivery truck using a hybrid drive system 
     could save approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel per year 
     compared to one with a conventional drive system.
       High fuel prices and tightening emissions standards provide 
     an added impetus for the development of new heavy duty hybrid 
     truck systems. Several manufacturers have technologies in 
     various stages of development for a range of large commercial 
     vehicle platforms such as package delivery vans, buses, 
     refuse collection trucks, large utility `bucket' trucks, 
     construction vehicles, and short- and long-haul tractor 
     trailer trucks. Research supported by the Department of 
     Defense (DOD) has also been a key driver of innovation for 
     heavy hybrids since these technologies can provide several 
     strategic advantages including substantial noise reduction, a 
     source of alternative power for radar and weapons systems, 
     reduction of overall weight and maintenance requirements, and 
     longer ranges between vehicle refueling. Despite substantial 
     investment in both the defense and commercial sectors, the 
     cost of research and development and the final price of heavy 
     duty hybrid vehicles remain prohibitively high, even for 
     military applications. Consequently, there remain significant 
     technical obstacles to development and final commercial 
     application of these technologies that federally-sponsored 
     R&D activities can help to overcome.
       Managing a comprehensive federal R&D program is complicated 
     by the fact that there is no onesize-fits-all hybrid solution 
     for the entire heavy duty vehicle sector. The power demands 
     of heavy duty trucks are as varied as the applications, and 
     deploying hybrid models into heavy truck fleets is more 
     complicated than simply scaling up the hybrid systems used 
     for passenger vehicles. For example, through the course of an 
     average drive cycle the charging and discharging of a hybrid 
     system on a refuse truck with its frequent starts and stops, 
     dumpster lifting, and trash compaction will be considerably 
     different than that of a utility truck, which may idle in one 
     place for several hours to operate a boom or other equipment. 
     Furthermore, developing hybrid systems for long-haul tractor 
     trailer rigs (Class VIII) presents an even greater challenge 
     since these vehicles seldom brake during a drive cycle, 
     providing few opportunities for battery systems to recharge 
     through regenerative braking. The energy storage devices and 
     related control systems may be altogether different for each 
     of these platforms. Future generations of heavy trucks may 
     also include plug-in hybrid electric models that can store 
     more electric energy in larger banks of batteries and charge 
     these batteries through direct connection to the electricity 
     grid either while in operation on a jobsite or in a parking 
     lot or garage.
       The majority of federal funding for hybrid vehicle R&D has 
     focused on passenger vehicles which far outnumber heavy 
     trucks. However, the federal R&D portfolio should address the 
     significant potential for fuel savings and emissions 
     reductions through improvements in the heavy duty vehicle 
     sector, and take advantage of the ability of this sector to 
     deploy new technologies quickly. For example, according to 
     the Oshkosh Truck Corporation, there are approximately 90,000 
     refuse trucks in the United States. Their collective fuel 
     consumption is equivalent to 2.5 million passenger vehicles 
     (based on 10,000 gallons/year per truck). Eaton Corporation 
     estimates that as few as 10,000 hybrid electric trucks could 
     reduce diesel fuel usage by 7.2 million gallons per year 
     (approx. 1 million barrels of oil), reduce annual NOx 
     emissions by the amount equivalent to removing New York 
     City's passenger cars for 25 days, and reduce carbon dioxide 
     emissions by 83,000 tons.
       Energy storage technology options for hybrid trucks 
     generally include batteries, hybrid hydraulic systems, and 
     ultra-capacitors. Batteries receive the most attention and 
     research funding because of their applicability throughout 
     the transportation sector. To expand the use of electricity 
     in the vehicles sector, batteries must be smaller, lighter, 
     cheaper, and more powerful. Vehicle batteries typically fall 
     into one of three families of technologies: lead-acid, nickel 
     metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium-ion (Li-ion). Lead-acid 
     batteries have many advantages including their relative 
     simplicity and low cost, wide-scale availability, domestic 
     manufacturing capacity, and established recycling 
     infrastructure. NiMH batteries are found in the current 
     generation of hybrid vehicles and will be the battery of 
     choice for many of the first generation heavy hybrid trucks. 
     However, high weight and low power density are significant 
     issues for both lead-acid and NiMH batteries. Many in the 
     industry believe the future of hybrids depends on 
     breakthroughs in new battery technologies, such as the 
     lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries with their comparatively 
     low weight and high power density. In addition to 
     resolving remaining serious technical issues such as heat 
     management, the cost of manufacturing Li-ion batteries 
     remains prohibitively high for large-scale deployment in 
     vehicles. There is also concern that the U.S. is falling 
     behind countries like Japan, China and France in the race 
     to develop and mass produce batteries for hybrid vehicles. 
     Consequently, a significant effort is underway to build up 
     a domestic supply chain.
       Plug-in hybrid applications that include an energy storage 
     system charged by an external power source are a particularly 
     attractive option for certain platforms of heavy duty 
     vehicles. Furthermore, heavy truck fleets provide a valuable 
     test-bed for demonstrating technologies that may ultimately 
     end up in the passenger vehicle market. Plug-in Hybrid 
     Vehicles (PHEV) is a critical near-to-mid term technology 
     option for drastically reducing the nation's dependence on 
     foreign oil. PHEV's, unlike traditional hybrid application, 
     shift most of the vehicle's energy source from petroleum to 
     domestically produced power from the electricity grid while 
     still providing sufficient power to handle heavy duty 
     applications. Some studies suggest that PHEV's may have the 
     added benefit of reducing transportation-related carbon 
     emissions, even if the electricity is generated solely from 
     coal. Much research remains in developing the technology to 
     reduce the weight and cost of the systems while improving 
     reliability.
       The Department of Energy (DOE) has funded limited research 
     on the hybridization of

[[Page E2232]]

     trucks, most recently through the 21st Century Truck 
     Partnership which conducts research and development through 
     joint public and private efforts. Other federal agencies 
     involved in the 21st Century Truck Partnership include the 
     Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, and 
     EPA. Because of the highly fragmented nature of the heavy 
     duty vehicle manufacturing industry, there is limited in-
     house research and testing capabilities for even the largest 
     of firms. The industry often relies on research efforts of 
     unique Federal facilities such as DOE's National Renewable 
     Energy Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, the EPA's 
     National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, and the 
     Army's National Automotive Center. Despite the potential 
     economic and environmental benefits of hybrid trucks and the 
     considerable technical hurdles that remain, the 21st Century 
     Truck Partnership is facing decreased funding and an 
     uncertain future as the administration chooses to focus 
     federal research on the passenger vehicle market. DOE does 
     not currently offer any competitive grants that target the 
     development of technologies applicable for use in hybrid 
     trucks.


              III. SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROVISIONS OF THE BILL

       H.R. 445 directs the Secretary of DOE (Secretary) to 
     establish a grant program for the development of advanced 
     heavy duty hybrid vehicles. The bill gives the Secretary the 
     discretion to award between three and seven grants based on 
     the technical merits of the proposals received. At least half 
     of the awarded grants must be for the development of plug-in 
     hybrid trucks.
       Grants are awarded to applicants for two phases of research 
     and development. In phase one, recipients must build at least 
     one advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicle, conduct studies of 
     the vehicle, and report to DOE on the performance, cost, and 
     emissions levels of the vehicle. In phase two, recipients 
     must produce 50 advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles and 
     report to DOE on the technological challenges and estimated 
     costs involved in wide-scale manufacture.
       H.R. 445 also directs the Secretary to conduct a study of 
     alternative power train designs for use in advanced heavy 
     duty hybrid vehicles. The study includes analysis of 
     different designs under conditions of typical use. The bill 
     also directs the Secretary to establish a pilot program 
     through the National Laboratories to research and test the 
     effects on the domestic electric power grid of widespread use 
     of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
       Grant applicants may include partnerships between 
     manufacturers, electrical utilities, or other entities to 
     fulfill the program's requirements. Awards under H.R. 445 
     will be for up to $3 million per year for three years. The 
     bill also amends the 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)) to include 
     heavy trucks in the Secretary's priorities for applied energy 
     storage research.


              IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE BILL

     Section I. Short title
       H.R. 445 can be cited as the ``Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle 
     Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2009.''
     Section 2. Advanced Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Technology 
         Research, Development, Demonstration, and Commercial 
         Application Program
       Section 2(a) directs the Secretary to establish a program 
     to provide grants to carry out projects to advance research 
     and demonstrate technologies for advanced heavy duty hybrid 
     vehicles.
       Section 2(b) requires the Secretary to issue application 
     requirements and to establish criteria for making grant 
     awards. The Secretary must give priority to applicants who 
     are best able to advance the current state of technology and 
     achieve the greatest reductions in fuel consumption and 
     emissions. To be eligible, recipients must produce trucks 
     with a gross weight between 14,000 and 33,000 pounds (e.g. 
     Class IV through Class VII vehicles). The Secretary is given 
     discretion to award between three and seven grants based on 
     the technical merits of the applications received. At least 
     half of the grants are to be awarded for plug-in hybrid 
     technology. Applicants can partner with other entities to 
     fulfill the obligations of the program.
       Section 2(c) defines two phases of research by award 
     recipients. In phase one, each recipient has one year to 
     build or retrofit one or more advanced heavy duty hybrid 
     vehicles. Recipients are required to collect and analyze data 
     on the performance of key vehicle components; the estimated 
     costs of producing, operating, and maintaining the vehicle; 
     the emissions of the vehicle; and on overall vehicle 
     performance according to guidelines established by the 
     Secretary.
       If, at the conclusion of phase one, it is clear that a 
     grant recipient will be unable to complete the requirements 
     of phase two, the Secretary has the discretion to waive the 
     requirement for phase two research and terminate the grant to 
     that recipient.
       In phase two, recipients are required to demonstrate the 
     advanced manufacturing processes of heavy duty plug-in 
     vehicles by producing or retrofitting 50 advanced heavy duty 
     hybrid vehicles within two years. Recipients must also report 
     on the major technological obstacles they encounter in 
     developing and producing the vehicles and on the projected 
     costs of each vehicle.
       Award recipients are eligible to receive three million 
     dollars per year for three years to complete both phases of 
     the development program.
       Section 2(d) directs the Secretary to conduct a study of 
     alternative power train designs for use in advanced heavy 
     duty hybrid vehicles. The study would analyze these different 
     designs under conditions which they are typically used, 
     including the average number of miles driven, the time spent 
     with the engine at idle, horsepower requirements, the length 
     of time the maximum power is required, and other factors the 
     Secretary determines to be appropriate.
       Section 2(e) requires the Secretary to report to Congress 
     within 60 days on the findings of the reports submitted by 
     grant recipients.
       Section 2(f) and 2(g) require the Secretary to coordinate 
     the research conducted under this program with other research 
     conducted by the Department. The cost sharing provisions of 
     section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 
     16352) apply to the program.
       Section 2(h) directs the Secretary to establish a pilot 
     program through DOE's National Laboratories to research and 
     test the effects on the domestic electric power grid of the 
     widespread use of plug-in hybrid vehicles, including heavy 
     duty plug-in hybrid trucks.
       Section 2(i) defines the terms: advanced heavy duty hybrid 
     vehicle, greenhouse gas, plug-in hybrid, retrofit, and 
     Secretary for the purposes of this section.
       Section 2(j) authorizes appropriations of $16 million per 
     year for fiscal years 2010 through 2012.
     Section 3. Expanding research in hybrid technology for large 
         vehicles
       This section amends the United States Energy Storage 
     Competitiveness Act of 2007 (enacted as section Sec. 
     641(g)(1) of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 
     (42 U.S.C. 17231(g)(1)) to include vehicles with a gross 
     weight over 8501 pounds in the Secretary's priorities for 
     advanced energy storage.

                                V. VIEWS

       The hybridization of heavy duty trucks is an important goal 
     that has been largely overlooked by the Federal government. 
     While numerous federal grants are available for the 
     production of hybrid and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles, 
     there are no grants available that specifically target the 
     development of heavy duty hybrid vehicles. This is an 
     unfortunate oversight. Federal investment in this research 
     will result in improvements in the fuel efficiency and 
     emission profiles of heavy duty vehicles and is likely to 
     provide significant economic benefits as well as benefits in 
     energy efficiency and air quality.
       The Secretary is encouraged to award the maximum number of 
     grants if sufficient meritorious applications are received. 
     Research applicable to heavy duty vehicles that make frequent 
     stops such as delivery trucks, buses, and refuse collection 
     vehicles and vehicles that idle on job sites for extensive 
     periods to operate auxiliary functions such as utility 
     `bucket' trucks should receive the highest priority for 
     funding under this program. This research and development 
     program is not intended to provide support for research and 
     development on large, Class IV, passenger trucks. The 
     definition of Advanced Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle included in 
     the legislation specifically excludes Class VIII heavy duty 
     vehicles (e.g. long-haul tractor trailer trucks). 
     Significantly different technical requirements of those 
     platforms merits funding under separate programs.
       It is important to provide funding to applicants best able 
     to provide the greatest potential advancement over current 
     technologies and for research that is most likely to lead to 
     reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions. In many 
     cases, this will mean awarding applicants who propose hybrid 
     designs that rely on multiple sources of energy for 
     propulsion, and integration of propulsion and auxiliary power 
     systems as this approach entails a greater technical 
     challenge.
       Intellectual property rights and ownership of actual 
     vehicles built under this program are intended to benefit the 
     grant recipients who develop them. The Department of Energy 
     is encouraged to grant waivers of such rights.

                          ____________________