MotorVehicleRegs.COM

Fuel Economy Label Information for 2012 Model Year

On August 8, 2011, EPA issued a “Dear Manufacturer” letter (CISD-11-11) discussing the following:

• Information necessary to print fuel economy labels;
• Instructions for submitting information to EPA for the Fuel Economy Guide for alternative-fueled vehicles, CNG vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and sport utility vehicles;
• Instructions and guidance for manufacturers who voluntarily wish to use the new 2013 labeling requirements for 2012 vehicles;
• The timetable for inclusion of fuel economy label values in the 2012 model year Fuel Economy Guide.

For a copy of the letter, click Download CISD-11-11.

 

EV Shock Protection

On July 29, 2011 NHTSA will publish a final rule responding to petitions for reconsideration of a 2010 final rule that amended the electrical shock protection requirements to facilitate the development and introduction of fuel cell vehicles and the next generation of hybrid and battery electric powered  vehicles.  This new final rule addresses issues raised in the petitions for reconsideration relating to the scope and applicability of the standard, the definitions in the standard, the retention requirements for electric energy storage/conversion systems, the electrical isolation requirements, the test specifications and requirements for electrical isolation monitoring, the state-of-charge of electric energy storage devices prior to the crash tests, a proposed protective barrier compliance option for electrical safety, the use of alternative gas to crash test hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and a proposed low-energy compliance option for electrical safety.    

The effective date of this final rule is September 1, 2011 with optional early compliance.   

NHTSA contact: Ms. Shashi Kuppa, Office of Crashworthiness Standards (telephone:  202-366-3827).

Docket reference: NHTSA-2011-0107 

 

DOE Webinar June 2: Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will present a live webcast entitled "Federal Fleet Infrastructure and Electric Vehicles" on Thursday, June 2, 2011, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Mark Reichhardt, FEMP's lead for fleet management; Brad Gustafson, supervisor for applied technology services for FEMP; and Julian Bentley, senior energy strategy consultant for LMI, a government consulting group, will introduce viewers to electric vehicles and discuss the logistics of installing electric vehicle infrastructure at federal facilities.

Specifically, viewers will learn about:

• The cost and comparative performance of electric vehicles
• How to fit EVs into a greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum reduction strategy
• Options for acquiring and incorporating EVs into multi-year fleet strategies
• Requirements for creating and expanding EV charging infrastructure
• Federal reporting requirements
• How FEMP's resources can be of assistance in these areas

Participants are encouraged to e-mail or call-in their questions before and during the program to receive tailored advice from the experts during the live "Q&A" segment. Questions submitted before the program can be sent to FTS@energyworkshops.org.

The 90-minute training is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain an Internet URL for the presentation.

Register to attend the webinar.

FEMP First Thursday Seminars are no-cost training opportunities to help federal energy, environmental, and fleet professionals plan and execute projects to help meet federal goals and requirements. For more information, visit the FEMP First Thursday Seminars website.

 

DOE Announces Expanded Partnership with Industry to Advance Next-Generation Automotive Technologies

 

On May 19, 2011, DOE’s Secretary Steven Chu announced U.S. DRIVE, a cooperative partnership with industry to accelerate the development of clean, advanced, energy-efficient technologies for cars and light trucks and the infrastructure needed to support their widespread use. This partnership is part of DOE's broad strategy to expand the availability of advanced vehicles to American families to help protect them from future spikes in gas prices and reduce our nation's reliance on imported oil. Formerly known as the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, U.S. DRIVE – Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle efficiency and Energy sustainability – brings together top technical experts from DOE, the national laboratories, and industry partners to identify critical research and development (R&D) needs, develop technical targets and strategic roadmaps, and evaluate R&D progress on a broad range of advanced vehicle and energy infrastructure technologies.  For additional information, click here.  

 

NHTSA Grants Wheego Temporary Advanced Air Bag Exemption

In a Federal Register notice, NHTSA is granting the petition of Wheego Electric Cars, Inc. for a temporary exemption of its Whip LiFe model from certain advanced air bag requirements of FMVSS No. 208.  The basis for the exemption is that the exemption would facilitate the development or field evaluation of a low-emission motor vehicle and would not unreasonably reduce the safety level of that vehicle.  The exemption is effective immediately, conditioned upon Wheego’s submission to NHTSA, at least 30 days prior to the first delivery of the LiFe to a distributor or dealer for sale in the United States, the certification test data and other data in support of the certification of the LiFe’s compliance with certain FMVSSs.  This exemption is to remain in effect until February 11, 2013.   

 

DOE Releases New Analysis Showing Significant Advances in Electric Vehicle Deployment

DOE released the following announcement on February 9, 2011 regarding President Obama’s goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy today released One Million Electric Vehicles by 2015 (pdf - 220 kb), an analysis of advances in electric vehicle deployment and progress to date in meeting President Obama's goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.  The analysis shows that while the goal is ambitious, it is also achievable based on steps already taken as part of the Recovery Act and additional policy initiatives proposed by President Obama -- including improvements to existing consumer tax credits, programs to help cities prepare for the growing demand for electric vehicles, and strong support for research and development to continue reducing the cost of electric vehicles.

"President Obama's goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 represents a key component of our strategy to dramatically reduce America's dependence on foreign oil and ensure that the U.S. leads the world in the growing electric vehicle manufacturing industry," said DOE Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs David Sandalow.  "This is a race America can win -- if we answer the President's call to out-innovate, out-build, and out-compete the rest of the world." 

One Million Electric Vehicles by 2015 details DOE investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, research and development, and demonstration projects nationwide that are laying the groundwork for achieving the President's goal.  These projects include support for nearly 50 manufacturing facilities and demonstration projects nationwide.  These efforts are helping to reduce the costs of advanced batteries and electric vehicles and gathering real-world data for consumers and local communities that will inform future deployment efforts.

The Department's analysis of the current market outlook indicates that manufacturers are planning to produce in the range of one million electric vehicles by 2015.  While industry-wide, manufacturing capacity is not likely to be the limiting factor in reaching the President's goal, additional policy steps are needed to further drive innovation, reduce costs, and spur consumer demand.

The Obama Administration is proposing a three-part strategy that supports electric vehicle manufacturing and adoption through improvements to tax credits in current law, investments in research and development (R&D), and a new competitive program to encourage communities to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure.  This plan will drive demand and position the United States as a global leader in manufacturing and deploying next-generation vehicle technologies.  The strategy includes:

• Make electric vehicles more affordable with a rebate up to $7,500: The President is proposing to transform the existing $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles into a rebate that will be available to consumers immediately at the point of sale, instead of having to wait for tax returns to be filed.
• Advance innovative technologies through new R&D investments: Building on Recovery Act investments, the President's FY2012 budget proposal will include enhanced R&D investments in electric drive, batteries, and energy storage technologies.
• Reward communities that invest in electric vehicle infrastructure through competitive grants: To provide an incentive for communities to invest in EV infrastructure and remove regulatory barriers, the President is proposing a new initiative that will provide grants to up to 30 communities that are prioritizing advanced technology vehicle deployment.

Combined, these policies will help achieve the President's goal of one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 while creating new jobs and strengthening U.S. leadership in the growing EV market. 

The U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program funds research and development for energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle technologies.

 

Thousands wrongly claimed electric car tax credit

Below is a story the Associated Press put out yesterday regarding fraudulent EV tax credit claims.  This credit fraud lends support to the Stabenow proposal which is to eliminate the tax credit and instead have a rebate that is issued to the dealer.  Not only would this reduce fraud but it would also help people get into EVs who may not have tax income to offset.  

Thousands wrongly claimed electric car tax credit

Associated Press Online - 2/3/2011
KEN THOMAS 

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2011 (AP Online delivered by Newstex) --Car companies like General Motors (NYSE:GM) (TSX:GMM'U) and Nissan are slowly rolling out rechargeable electric cars. But that didn't stop thousands of U. S. taxpayers, including prisoners and some IRS employees, from incorrectly claiming lucrative tax credits for the electric vehicles last year. 

A Treasury Department inspector general report says nearly 13,000 taxpayers erroneously claimed about $33 million in credits for plug-in electric and alternative vehicles during the first six months of 2010. The inspector general says about 20 percent of the $163. 9 million in credits provided to taxpayers were claimed in error. 

President Barack Obama has pushed for 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015 and the tax breaks are part of that strategy. The government has offered numerous incentives to drum up interest in the vehicles, including a $7,500 tax credit for a plug-in electric drive motor vehicle and incentives for converting a car into a plug-in. 

Auto companies are just beginning to mass market the vehicles. Since December, GM has sold 647 Chevrolet Volts, an electric car with a backup gasoline-powered engine. During the same period, Nissan sold 106 versions of the Leaf, which is powered by a rechargeable battery. 

But Treasury Department review found problems with thousands of taxpayers claiming the credits for cars that failed to qualify. For example, some car owners tried to claim the $7,500 credit for their Hummer H3, Dodge Durango or Cadillac Escalade. Someone claimed it for a golf cart. 

The report said some IRS employees erroneously claimed the credits. They were referred to the department's Office of Investigations for further review. 

Even prisoners tried to take advantage. The inspector general found that 29 prisoners received $49,926 in vehicle credits even though they were incarcerated throughout 2009. 

The IRS agreed with a series of recommendations made by the inspector general to recover erroneous credits and to make changes to manuals and software systems to ensure that taxpayers don't claim vehicles that fail to qualify. The report said efforts by IRS management to reduce the incorrect claims helped the department protect $3. 1 million in revenue. 

 

Quiet Cars Bill Signed Into Law

President Obama has signed into law the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010.  Under the law, hybrid electric and pure electric vehicles must emit an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle operating below a certain cross-over speed.  The alert sound must be in compliance with a new safety standard that NHTSA is required to create in accordance with the law.  NHTSA has 36 months to finalize the new standard and although 100% fleet compliance will not occur until 36 months after the final rule is published, the new requirements are to be phased-in over time which likely means that some vehicles will need to comply as early as the September 2014.  In the meantime, many electric vehicles, like the Leaf and Volt, already are being equipped with alert sounds.  Much of the research and development for the new NHTSA standard will need to occur in the next 6 - 9 months since NHTSA is required to issue a proposed regulation by the middle of 2012.  

 

ZEV Mandate Pulled in New Mexico

On December 6, 2010, New Mexico modified its LEV program regulation by adding a provision that waives the program requirements (including the ZEV mandate) for the for the period Jan. 1, 2011 to Jan. 1, 2016.  For a copy of the rule as amended, click here.  

 

Quiet Cars

On December 9, the Senate adopted S. 841, Senator John Kerry’s “quiet car” bill (as amended by the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this summer), by unanimous consent.  Assuming the bill becomes law, NHTSA will have 18 months from the date of enactment to propose a regulation establishing performance requirements for an alert sound that allows blind and other pedestrians to reasonably detect a nearby electric or hybrid vehicle operating below the certain speed.  Under the law, within 3 years of the final rule being published, all new electric or hybrid vehicles would need to provide an alert sound conforming to the performance requirements established by NHTSA.  NHTSA is required to finalize the rule within 36 months of the bill being enacted.