I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 445 
To establish a research, development, demonstration, and commercial applica-
tion program to promote research of appropriate technologies for heavy 
duty plug-in hybrid vehicles, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 9, 2009 
Mr. SENSENBRENNER (for himself, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. WU, Mr. REICHERT, 
and Mr. SMITH of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Science and Technology 
A BILL 
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, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Heavy Duty Hybrid 
Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 
2009’’. 
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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 
(B) give priority to applicants who are best 
able to— 
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(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. 
(5) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—The Secretary shall 
determine the number of grants to be awarded 
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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 
three or more than seven, and at least half of the 
grants awarded shall be for plug-in hybrid tech-
nology. 
(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-
oped by the Secretary under subparagraph 
(E); 
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(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. 
(2) PHASE TWO.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—In phase two, the re-
cipient shall demonstrate advanced manufac-
turing processes and technologies by producing 
or retrofitting fifty 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-
search into alternative power train designs for use in ad-
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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); 
(4) a description of the vehicles produced or 
retrofitted by recipients in phase one and phase two 
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