McNerney Co-Authors Bipartisan Electric Vehicles Legislation

Press Release

Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) today co-authored bipartisan legislation to help encourage the more widespread use of electric drive vehicles. The Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act, co-authored with Reps. Judy Biggert (R-Illinois), Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts), and Anna Eshoo (D-California), will establish 10 "deployment communities" around the country to serve as hubs for increasing the use of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

"Our area has the right ingredients to be selected and successful as a regional hub for electric vehicle development and manufacturing," said Rep. McNerney. "We have the resources to create new technology, the people with training and skills to manufacture these types of cars, and companies that are established and poised to expand in the electric vehicle field. This legislation would give our area and other places around the country the opportunity to compete for grants and other key incentives to jumpstart the electric vehicle industry."

The bill offers consumers in these communities incentives for the purchase of electric drive vehicles. The legislation also provides assistance for the installation of charging infrastructure, supports the manufacturing of electric vehicle components, and encourage utilities to plan for widespread use of electric drive vehicles.

The Electric Vehicle Deployment Act authorizes the Secretary of Energy to establish regional electric vehicle hubs. The Secretary will evaluate applications from communities throughout the country, taking into account such criteria as the quality of their plans, benefits to consumers, and the ability of the community to increase the use of electric vehicles. Based on these applications, the Secretary of Energy will then competitively award up to $300 million in grants to each of the regional hubs.

"At a time of high unemployment and soaring gas prices this legislation is a win-win proposal," said Rep. McNerney. "By spurring growth in the electric vehicle field we will create jobs and also provide people with more choices when it comes to the type of car they want to drive. With gas prices continuing to rise, more and more people are looking for a vehicle that will save them money. "

The Electric Vehicle Deployment Act includes consumer incentives to purchase electric drive vehicles, such as an additional $2,000 incentive to the first 50,000 people within each hub who buy electric drive vehicles. The bill also extends federal tax credits for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging equipment for individuals (up to $2,000) or businesses (up to $50,000 for multiple equipment purchases). Finally, the bill provides additional incentives for the use and manufacturing of electric vehicle technologies, including bond authority and a limited number of smaller grants for municipalities not selected as a hub.

The utility planning provisions of the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act are based on a bill that Congressman McNerney authored in 2009, the Vehicles for the Future Act.

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