Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2013”.
Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2013
A BILL
To provide for a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application in vehicle technologies at the Department of Energy.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
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 24 percent of global oil demand.
The United States transportation sector is over 95 percent dependent on petroleum, and over 60 percent of petroleum demand is met by imported supplies.
United States heavy truck fuel consumption will increase 21 percent by 2030, while overall transportation energy use will decline by 2 percent.
The domestic automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturing sectors have increasingly limited resources for research, development, and engineering of advanced technologies.
Vehicle, engine, and component manufacturers are playing a more important role in vehicle technology development, and should be better integrated into Federal research efforts.
Priorities for the Department of Energy’s vehicle technologies research have shifted drastically in recent years among diesel hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and plug-in electric hybrids, with little continuity among them.
The integration of vehicle, communication, and infrastructure technologies has great potential for efficiency gains through better management of the total transportation system.
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 to—
develop United States technologies and practices that—
improve the fuel efficiency and emissions of all vehicles produced in the United States; and
reduce vehicle reliance on petroleum-based fuels;
support domestic research, development, engineering, demonstration, and commercial application and manufacturing of advanced vehicles, engines, and components;
enable vehicles to move larger volumes of goods and more passengers with less energy and emissions;
develop cost-effective advanced technologies for wide-scale utilization throughout the passenger, commercial, government, and transit vehicle sectors;
allow for greater consumer choice of vehicle technologies and fuels;
shorten technology development and integration cycles in the vehicle industry;
ensure a proper balance and diversity of Federal investment in vehicle technologies; and
strengthen partnerships between Federal and State governmental agencies and the private and academic sectors.
Sec. 4 Definitions
Sec. 5 Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary for United States research, development, engineering, demonstration, and commercial application of vehicles and related technologies, including activities authorized under this Act, such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.