---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13258"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13258"
heading: "Credits"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13258"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter III — Availability and Use of Replacement Fuels, Alternative Fuels, and Alternative Fueled Private Vehicles"
---

# §13258. Credits

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Fuel cell electric vehicle—** The term “fuel cell electric vehicle” means an on-road or non-road vehicle that uses a fuel cell (as defined in [section 16152 of this title](/usc/42/16152.md)).
  - (2) **Hybrid electric vehicle—** The term “hybrid electric vehicle” means a new qualified hybrid [motor vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=13) (as defined in [section 30B(d)(3) of title 26](/usc/26/30B.md?p=d-3)).
  - (3) **Medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle—** The term “medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle” means an electric, hybrid electric, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 8,501 pounds.
  - (4) **Neighborhood electric vehicle—** The term “neighborhood electric vehicle” means a 4-wheeled on-road or nonroad vehicle that—
    - (A) has a top attainable speed in 1 mile of more than 20 mph and not more than 25 mph on a paved level surface; and
    - (B) is propelled by an electric motor and on-board, rechargeable energy storage system that is rechargeable using an off-board source of electricity.
  - (5) **Plug-in electric drive vehicle—** The term “plug-in electric drive vehicle” means a vehicle that—
    - (A) draws motive power from a battery with a capacity of at least 4 kilowatt-hours;
    - (B) can be recharged from an external source of electricity for motive power; and
    - (C) is a light-, medium-, or heavy duty [motor vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=13) or nonroad vehicle (as those terms are defined in [section 7550 of this title](/usc/42/7550.md)).
- (b) **In general—**
  - (1) **Allocation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall allocate a credit to a [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) that is required to acquire an [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) under this subchapter, if that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person acquires an [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) in excess of the number that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person is required to acquire under this subchapter or acquires an [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) before the date that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person is required to acquire an [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) under such subchapter.
  - (2) **Electric vehicles—** Not later than January 31, 2009, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) allocate credit in an amount to be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) for—
      - (i) acquisition of—
        - (I) a hybrid electric vehicle;
        - (II) a plug-in electric drive vehicle;
        - (III) a fuel cell electric vehicle;
        - (IV) a neighborhood electric vehicle; or
        - (V) a medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle; and
      - (ii) investment in qualified [alternative fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=2) infrastructure or nonroad equipment, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2); and
    - (B) allocate more than 1, but not to exceed 5, credits for investment in an emerging technology relating to any vehicle described in [subparagraph (A)](#b-2-A) to encourage—
      - (i) a reduction in petroleum demand;
      - (ii) technological advancement; and
      - (iii) a reduction in vehicle emissions.
- (c) **Allocation—** In allocating credits under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall allocate one credit for each [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) the [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) acquires that exceeds the number of [alternative fueled vehicles](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person is required to acquire under this subchapter or that is acquired before the date that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person is required to acquire an [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) under such subchapter. In the event that a vehicle is acquired before the date otherwise required, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall allocate one credit per vehicle for each year the vehicle is acquired before the required date. The credit shall be allocated for the same type vehicle as the excess vehicle or earlier acquired vehicle.
- (d) **Use of credits—** At the request of a [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) allocated a credit under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall treat the credit as the acquisition of one [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) of the type for which the credit is allocated in the year designated by that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person when determining whether that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person has complied with this subchapter in the year designated. A credit may be counted toward compliance for only one year.
- (e) **Transferability—** A [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or [covered person](/usc/42/13211.md?p=5) allocated a credit under this section or to whom a credit is transferred under this section, may transfer freely the credit to another [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person who is required to comply with this subchapter. At the request of the [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person to whom a credit is transferred, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall treat the transferred credit as the acquisition of one [alternative fueled vehicle](/usc/42/13211.md?p=3-A) of the type for which the credit is allocated in the year designated by the [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person to whom the credit is transferred when determining whether that [fleet](/usc/42/13211.md?p=9) or person has complied with this subchapter in the year designated. A transferred credit may be counted toward compliance for only one year. In the case of the [alternative fuel](/usc/42/13211.md?p=2) provider program under [section 13251 of this title](/usc/42/13251.md), a transferred credit may be counted toward compliance only if the requirement of [section 13251(a)(4) of this title](/usc/42/13251.md?p=a-4) is met.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title V, § 508, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2897; Pub. L. 110–140, title I, § 133, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1511.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(2), added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b).

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (a) as (b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added par. (2). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), (4), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c) and substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsection (a)”. Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(1), redesignated subsecs. (c) and (d) as (d) and (e), respectively.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–140, § 133(5), added subsec. (f).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 110–140 effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.