IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6323 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
SEPTEMBER 25 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 
Received 
OCTOBER 2 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation 
AN ACT 
To establish a research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application program to promote research of 
appropriate technologies for heavy duty plug-in hybrid 
vehicles, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Heavy Duty Hybrid 
Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 
2008’’. 
SEC. 2. ADVANCED HEAVY DUTY HYBRID VEHICLE TECH-
NOLOGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEM-
ONSTRATION, AND COMMERCIAL APPLICA-
TION PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a competitive research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application program (referred to in this Act 
as the ‘‘program’’) to provide grants to applicants to carry 
out projects to advance research and development and to 
demonstrate technologies for advanced heavy duty hybrid 
vehicles. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall issue re-
quirements for applying for grants under the pro-
gram. 
(2) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall 
establish selection criteria for awarding grants under 
the program. In evaluating applications, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(A) consider the ability of applicants to 
successfully complete both phases described in 
subsection (c); and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
(B) give priority to applicants who are best 
able to— 
(i) fill existing research gaps and 
achieve the greatest advances beyond the 
state of current technology; and 
(ii) achieve the greatest reduction in 
fuel consumption and emissions. 
(3) PARTNERS.—An applicant for a grant 
under this section may carry out a project in part-
nership with other entities. 
(4) SCHEDULE.— 
(A) APPLICATION
REQUEST.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall publish in the 
Federal Register, and elsewhere as appropriate, 
a request for applications to undertake projects 
under the program. Applications shall be due 
not later than 90 days after the date of such 
publication. 
(B) APPLICATION SELECTION.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date on which applica-
tions for grants under the program are due, the 
Secretary shall select, through a competitive 
process, all applicants to be awarded a grant 
under the program. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
(5) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—The Secretary shall 
determine the number of grants to be awarded 
under the program based on the technical merits of 
the applications received. The number of grants 
awarded under the program shall not be less than 3 
or more than 7, and at least half of the grants 
awarded shall be for plug-in hybrid technology. 
(6) AWARD
AMOUNTS.—The Secretary shall 
award not more than $3,000,000 to each recipient 
per year for each of the 3 years of the project. 
(c) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS; TWO PHASES.—Each 
grant recipient shall be required to complete two phases: 
(1) PHASE ONE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In phase one, the re-
cipient shall research and demonstrate ad-
vanced hybrid technology by producing or retro-
fitting one or more advanced heavy duty hybrid 
vehicles. 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days 
after the completion of phase one, the recipient 
shall submit to the Secretary a report con-
taining data and analysis of— 
(i) the performance of each vehicle in 
carrying out the testing procedures devel-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
oped by the Secretary under subparagraph 
(E); 
(ii) the performance during such test-
ing of each vehicle’s components, including 
the battery, energy management system, 
charging system, and power controls; 
(iii) the projected cost of each vehicle, 
including acquisition, operating, and main-
tenance costs; and 
(iv) the emissions levels of each vehi-
cle, including greenhouse gas levels. 
(C) TERMINATION.—The Secretary may 
terminate the grant program with respect to the 
project of a recipient at the conclusion of phase 
one if the Secretary determines that the recipi-
ent cannot successfully complete the require-
ments of phase two. 
(D) TIMING.—Phase one begins upon re-
ceipt of a grant under the program and has a 
duration of one year. 
(E) TESTING
PROCEDURES.—The Sec-
retary shall develop standard testing procedures 
to be used by recipients in testing each vehicle. 
Such procedures shall include testing a vehicle’s 
performance under typical operating conditions. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
(2) PHASE TWO.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—In phase two, the re-
cipient shall demonstrate advanced manufac-
turing processes and technologies by producing 
or retrofitting 50 advanced heavy duty hybrid 
vehicles. 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days 
after the completion of phase two, the recipient 
shall submit to the Secretary a report con-
taining— 
(i) an analysis of the technological 
challenges encountered by the recipient in 
the development of the vehicles; 
(ii) an analysis of the technological 
challenges involved in mass producing the 
vehicles; and 
(iii) the manufacturing cost of each 
vehicle, the estimated sale price of each ve-
hicle, and the cost of a comparable non-hy-
brid vehicle. 
(C) TIMING.—Phase two begins at the con-
clusion of phase one and has a duration of two 
years. 
(d) RESEARCH ON VEHICLE USAGE AND ALTER-
NATIVE DRIVE TRAINS.—The Secretary shall conduct re-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
search into alternative power train designs for use in ad-
vanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles. Such research shall 
compare the estimated cost, including operating and main-
tenance costs, emissions reductions, and fuel savings of 
each design with similar non-hybrid power train designs 
under the conditions in which these vehicles are typically 
used, including, for each vehicle type— 
(1) number of miles driven; 
(2) time spent with the engine at idle; 
(3) horsepower requirements; 
(4) length of time the maximum or near max-
imum power output of the vehicle is needed; and 
(5) any other factors that the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(e) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—Not later than 60 
days after the Secretary receives the reports from grant 
recipients under subsection (c)(2)(B), the Secretary shall 
submit to the Congress a report containing— 
(1) an identification of the grant recipients and 
a description of the projects to be funded; 
(2) an identification of all applicants who sub-
mitted applications for the program; 
(3) all data contained in reports submitted by 
grant recipients under subsection (c); 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
(4) a description of the vehicles produced or 
retrofitted by recipients in phase one and phase two 
of the project, including an analysis of the fuel effi-
ciency of such vehicles; and 
(5) the results of the research carried out under 
subsections (d) and (h). 
(f) COORDINATION AND NONDUPLICATION.—To the 
maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall coordi-
nate, and not duplicate, activities under this Act with 
other programs and laboratories of the Department of En-
ergy and other Federal research programs. 
(g) COST SHARING.—Section 988 of the Energy Pol-
icy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16352) shall apply to the pro-
gram established pursuant to this section. 
(h) ELECTRICAL
GRID
RESEARCH
PILOT
PRO-
GRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a pilot program 
through the National Laboratories and Technology Cen-
ters of the Department of Energy to research and test 
the effects on the domestic electric power grid of the wide-
spread use of plug-in hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hy-
brid vehicles that are advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles. 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) ADVANCED
HEAVY
DUTY
HYBRID
VEHI-
CLE.—The term ‘‘advanced heavy duty hybrid vehi-
cle’’ means a vehicle with a gross weight between 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
HR 6323 RFS
14,000 pounds and 33,000 pounds that is fueled, in 
part, by a rechargeable energy storage system. 
(2) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ means— 
(A) carbon dioxide; 
(B) methane; 
(C) nitrous oxide; 
(D) hydrofluorocarbons; 
(E) perfluorocarbons; or 
(F) sulfur hexafluoride. 
(3) PLUG-IN HYBRID.—The term ‘‘plug-in hy-
brid’’ means a vehicle fueled, in part, by electrical 
power that can be recharged by connecting the vehi-
cle to an electric power source. 
(4) RETROFIT.—The term ‘‘retrofit’’ means the 
process of creating an advanced heavy duty hybrid 
vehicle by converting an existing, fuel-powered vehi-
cle. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Secretary $16,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2009 through 2011 to carry out this section. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
06:00 Oct 03, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6323.RFS
H6323
jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS