Open Fuel Act of 2017

To amend chapter 329 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open Fuel Act of 2017 2. Open fuel requirement for motor vehicles Chapter 329 section 32905 32905A. Open fuel requirement for motor vehicles. (a) Requirements Except as provided in subsection (c), each manufacturer’s fleet of covered vehicles for a particular model year shall be comprised of— (1) not less than 50 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2020; and (2) not less than 80 percent qualified vehicles beginning in model year 2021 and each subsequent year. (b) Additional definitions As used in this section— (1) the term covered vehicle (2) the term qualified vehicle (A) has been warranted by its manufacturer to operate on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; (B) is a flexible fuel vehicle; (C) is a plug-in electric drive vehicle; (D) is propelled solely by a fuel cell that produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; or (E) is propelled solely by something other than an internal combustion engine, and produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; (3) the term flexible fuel vehicle (4) the term E85 (5) the term M85 (6) the term biodiesel (7) the term plug-in electric drive vehicle 42 U.S.C. 13258(a)(5) (8) the term light-duty motor vehicle 42 U.S.C. 7550(7) (c) Temporary Exemption from Requirements (1) Application A manufacturer may request an exemption from the requirement described in subsection (a) by submitting an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require by regulation. Each such application shall specify the models, lines, and types of automobiles affected. (2) Evaluation After evaluating an application received from a manufacturer, the Secretary may at any time, under such terms and conditions, and to such extent as the Secretary considers appropriate, temporarily exempt, or renew the exemption of, a light-duty motor vehicle from the requirement described in subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that unavoidable events not under the control of the manufacturer prevent the manufacturer of such automobile from meeting its required production volume of qualified automobiles, including— (A) a disruption in the supply of any component required for compliance with the regulations; or (B) a disruption in the use and installation by the manufacturer of such component. (3) Consolidation The Secretary may consolidate applications received from multiple manufacturers under subparagraph (A) if they are of a similar nature. (4) Conditions Any exemption granted under paragraph (2) shall be conditioned upon the manufacturer’s commitment to recall the exempted automobiles for installation of the omitted components within a reasonable time proposed by the manufacturer and approved by the Secretary after such components become available in sufficient quantities to satisfy both anticipated production and recall volume requirements. (5) Notice The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register— (A) notice of each application received from a manufacturer; (B) notice of each decision to grant or deny a temporary exemption; and (C) the reasons for granting or denying such exemptions. (d) Rulemaking Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations as necessary to carry out this section. .

Summary: Open Fuel Act of 2017 This bill requires each fleet of a manufacturer of passenger automobiles (including light-duty motor vehicles) to be comprised of at least: 50% qualified vehicles in model year 2020, and 80% qualified vehicles in model year 2021 and each subsequent year. A "qualified vehicle" is: a vehicle that operates on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; a flexible fuel vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85; a plug-in electric drive vehicle; or a vehicle propelled solely by fuel cell or by something other than an internal combustion engine. The bill authorizes: (1) a manufacturer to request an exemption from such requirement for specified models, lines, and types of automobiles; and (2) the Department of Transportation to grant such an exemption upon determining that unavoidable events prevent the manufacturer from meeting its required production volume of qualified automobiles.