[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1408 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1408
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
May 20, 2015
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Alexander, and 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Vehicle Innovation
Act of 2015''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Objectives.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE I--VEHICLE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 101. Program.
Sec. 102. Sensing and communications technologies.
Sec. 103. Manufacturing.
Sec. 104. User testing facilities.
Sec. 105. Reporting.
TITLE II--MEDIUM- AND HEAVY-DUTY COMMERCIAL AND TRANSIT VEHICLES
Sec. 201. Program.
Sec. 202. Class 8 truck and trailer systems demonstration.
Sec. 203. Technology testing and metrics.
Sec. 204. Nonroad systems pilot program.
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 21 percent of global oil demand.
(2) The United States transportation sector is over 90-
percent dependent on petroleum.
(3) United States heavy truck fuel consumption will
increase 27 percent by 2030.
(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 vehicle technologies research of the
Department of Energy 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--
(1) to 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) to support domestic research, development, engineering,
demonstration, and commercial application and manufacturing of
advanced vehicles, engines, and components;
(3) to enable vehicles to move larger volumes of goods and
more passengers with less energy and emissions;
(4) to develop cost-effective advanced technologies for
wide-scale utilization throughout the passenger, commercial,
government, and transit vehicle sectors;
(5) to allow for greater consumer choice of vehicle
technologies and fuels;
(6) shorten technology development and integration cycles
in the vehicle industry;
(7) to ensure a proper balance and diversity of Federal
investment in vehicle technologies; and
(8) to strengthen partnerships between Federal and State
governmental agencies and the private and academic sectors.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In 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
research, development, engineering, demonstration, and commercial
application of vehicles and related technologies in the United States,
including activities authorized under this Act--
(1) for fiscal year 2015, $301,506,000;
(2) for fiscal year 2016, $313,567,000;
(3) for fiscal year 2017, $326,109,000;
(4) for fiscal year 2018, $339,154,000;
(5) for fiscal year 2019, $352,720,000; and
(6) for fiscal year 2020, $366,829,000.
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,
including hydrogen energy storage to enable renewables and
provide hydrogen for fuel and power;
(9) natural gas vehicle technologies;
(10) aerodynamics, rolling resistance (including tires and
wheel assemblies), and accessory power loads of vehicles and
associated equipment;
(11) vehicle weight reduction, including lightweighting
materials and the development of manufacturing processes to
fabricate, assemble, and use dissimilar 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;
(28) mild hybrid;
(29) engine down speeding; and
(30) 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,
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 effective 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) 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, demonstration, and deployment activities on connectivity
of vehicle roadway, vulnerable road users, traffic control systems, and
transportation data systems, including on sensing, data, computation,
communication, cybersecurity, and actuation technologies that allow for
improved safety, reduced energy and fuel use, optimized traffic flow,
and vehicle electrification, including technologies for--
(1) onboard vehicle, engine, transmission and component
sensing, actuation, and calibration;
(2) vehicle-to-vehicle sensing and communication;
(3) vehicle-to-infrastructure sensing and communication;
(4) vehicle-to-pedestrian and vehicle-to-bicyclist sensing
and communication; and
(5) 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--
(1) to increase the production rate and decrease the cost
of advanced battery and fuel cell manufacturing;
(2) to vary the capability of individual manufacturing
facilities to accommodate different battery chemistries and
configurations;
(3) to reduce waste streams, emissions, and energy
intensity of vehicle, engine, advanced battery and component
manufacturing processes;
(4) to recycle and remanufacture used batteries and other
vehicle components for reuse in vehicles or stationary
applications;
(5) to develop manufacturing processes to effectively
fabricate, assemble, and produce cost-effective lightweight
materials such as advanced aluminum and other metal alloys,
polymeric composites, and carbon fiber for use in vehicles;
(6) to produce lightweight high pressure storage systems
for gaseous fuels;
(7) to design and manufacture purpose-built hydrogen fuel
cell vehicles and components;
(8) to improve the calendar life and cycle life of advanced
batteries; and
(9) to 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, including the technologies
described in section 102;
(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;
(4) developing and demonstrating test cycles for new and
alternative fuels, and other advanced vehicle technologies;
(5) developing and demonstrating methods to charge electric
vehicles and connect them to the electric grid; and
(6) developing, testing, and demonstrating hydrogen and
natural gas refueling station technologies.
SEC. 105. REPORTING.
(a) Technologies Developed.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through 2020, the
Secretary shall submit 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
2020 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) mild hybrid, 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 and power pack modeling, simulation,
and testing;
(20) hydrogen vehicle technologies, including fuel cells
and internal combustion engines, and hydrogen infrastructure,
including hydrogen energy storage to enable renewables and
provide hydrogen for fuel and power;
(21) retrofitting advanced technologies onto existing truck
fleets;
(22) advanced boosting systems;
(23) engine down speeding; and
(24) integration of these and other advanced systems onto a
single truck and trailer platform.
(b) Reporting.--At the end of each fiscal year through fiscal year
2020, the Secretary shall submit to 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.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct a competitive grant
program to demonstrate the integration of multiple advanced
technologies on Class 8 truck and trailer platforms, including a
combination of technologies listed in section 201(a).
(b) Applicant Teams.--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, construction, air, and sea port
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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