VI. Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, Public Law 94-413 94th Congress, H. R. 8800 An Act To authorize in the Energy Research and Development Administration a Federal program of research, development, and demonstration designed to promote electric vehicle technologies and to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of electric vehicles. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976." SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND POLICY. (a) The Congress finds and declares that (1) the Nation's dependence on foreign sources of petroleum must be reduced, as such dependence jeopardizes national security, inhibits foreign policy, and undermines economic well-being; (2) the Nation's balance of payments is threatened by the need to import oil for the production of liquid fuel for gasolinepowered vehicles; (3) the single largest use of petroleum supplies is in the field of transportation, for gasoline- and diesel-powered motor vehicles; (4) the expeditious introduction of electric and hybrid vehicles into the Nation's transportation fleet would substantially reduce such use and dependence; (5) such introduction is practicable and would be advantageous because (A) most urban driving consists of short trips, which are within the capability of electric and hybrid vehicles; (B) much rural and agricultural driving of automobiles, tractors, and trucks is within the capability of such vehicles; (C) electric and hybrid vehicles are more reliable and practical now than in the past because propulsion, control, and battery technologies have improved, and further significant improvements in such technologies are possible in the near term; (D) electric and hybrid vehicles use little or no energy when stopped in traffic, in contrast to conventional automobiles and trucks; (E) the power requirements of such vehicles could be satisfied by charging them during off-peak periods when existing electric generating plants are underutilized, thereby permitting more efficient use of existing generating capacity; (F) such vehicles do not emit any significant pollutants or noise; and (G) it is environmentally desirable for transportation systems to be powered from central sources, because pollutants emitted from stationary sources (such as electric generating plants) are potentially easier to control than pollutants emitted from moving vehicles; and (6) the introduction of electric and hybrid vehicles would be facilitated by the establishment of a Federal program of research, 15 USC 2502. development, and demonstration to explore electric and hybrid vehicle technologies. (b) It is therefore declared to be the policy of the Congress in this Act to (1) encourage and support accelerated research into, and development of, electric and hybrid vehicle technologies; (2) demonstrate the economic and technological practicability of electric and hybrid vehicles for personal and commercial use in urban areas and for agricultural and personal use in rural areas; (3) facilitate, and remove barriers to, the use of electric and hybrid vehicles in lieu of gasoline- and diesel-powered motor vehicles, where practicable; and (4) promote the substitution of electric and hybrid vehicles for many gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles currently used in routine short-haul, low-load applications, where such substitution would be beneficial. SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Act, the term— (1) "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Energy Research and Development Administration; (2) "advanced electric or hybrid vehicle" means a vehicle which (A) minimizes the total amount of energy to be consumed with respect to its fabrication, operation, and disposal, and represents a substantial improvement over existing electric and hybrid vehicles with respect to the total amount of energy so consumed; (B) is capable of being mass-produced and operated at a cost and in a manner which is sufficiently competitive to enable it to be produced and sold in numbers representing a reasonable portion of the market; (C) is safe, damage-resistant, easy to repair, durable, and operates with sufficient performance with respect to acceleration, cold-weather starting, cruising speed, and other performance factors; and (D) at a minimum, can be produced, distributed, operated, and disposed of in compliance with any applicable requirement of Federal law; (3) "commercial electric or hybrid vehicle" includes any electric or hybrid vehicle which can be used (A) for business or agricultural production purposes on farms (e.g. tractors and trucks) or in rural areas, or (B) for commercial purposes in urban areas; (4) "electric vehicle" means a vehicle which is powered by an electric motor drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, or other portable sources of electrical current, and which may include a nonelectrical source of power designed to charge batteries and components thereof; (5) "hybrid vehicle" means a vehicle propelled by a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power source and components thereof; (6) "project" means the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Project established under section 4(a); (7) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation; and (8) "small business concern" shall have the meaning prescribed by the Administrator after consultation with the Small Business Administration. SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR. (a) The Administrator shall promptly establish, as an organizational entity within the Energy Research and Development Administration, the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Project. 15 USC 2503. Electric and velopment, (b) The Administrator shall have the responsibility for the overall management of the project. The Administrator may enter into any establishment. agreement or other arrangement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Transportation, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Agriculture, or any other Federal agency, pursuant to which such agency shall conduct such specified parts or aspects of the project as the Administrator deems necessary or appropriate and within the particular competence of such agency, to the extent that such agency has capabilities which would enable it to contribute to the success of the project and the attainment of the purposes of this Act. (c) In providing for the effective management of this project, the Administrator shall have specific responsibility to (1) promote basic and applied research on electric and hybrid vehicle batteries, controls, and motors; (2) determine optimum overall electric and hybrid vehicle design; (3) conduct demonstration projects with respect to the feasibility of commercial electric and hybrid vehicles (A) by contracting for the purchase or lease of electric and hybrid vehicles for practical use, and (B) by entering into arrangements, with other governmental entities and with nongovernmental entities, for the operation of such vehicles; (4) ascertain consumer needs and desires so as to match the design of electric and hybrid vehicles to their potential market; and (5) ascertain the long-term changes in road design, urban planning, traffic management, maintenance facilities, utility rate structures, and tax policies which are needed to facilitate the manufacture and use of electric and hybrid vehicles in accordance with sections 13 and 14. SEC. 5. COORDINATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATOR 15 USC 2504. AND OTHER AGENCIES. (a) In carrying out the project established under section 4, the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, consult and coordinate with the Secretary, with respect to any functions of the Administrator under this Act which relate to regulatory activities or other responsibilities of the Secretary, including safety and damageability programs. (b) Each department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive branch of the Federal Government shall carefully consider any written request from the Administrator, or the head of any agency to which the Administrator has delegated responsibility for specified parts or aspects of the project, to furnish such assistance, on a reimbursable basis, as the Administrator or such head deems necessary to |