S. 948: Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-05-11 · Energy · Latest: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-38.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-05-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 112-38. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2011

Plain summary

Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2011 - Establishes within the Department of Energy (DOE) a national plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment program. Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) provide technical assistance upon request to state, local, and tribal governments with the deployment of plug-in electric drive vehicles; (2) make available to the public information regarding the cost, performance, usage data, and technical data regarding plug-in electric drive vehicles and associated infrastructure; (3) carry out a national assessment and develop a national plan for plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment; and (4) award grants for preparation of a community deployment plans and programs Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and publish guidance for model building codes for the inclusion of separate circuits for charging infrastructure in new construction and major renovations of buildings; and (2) award grants to institutions to provide training and education for vocational workforce development to ensure skills needed to work on and maintain, and provide emergency assistance relating to, plug-in electric drive vehicles and the infrastructure required to support them. Directs the DOE Federal Energy Management Program and the General Services Administration (GSA) to assess federal government fleets regarding the conversion to plug-in electric drive vehicles. Instructs the Administrator of General Services to acquire plug-in electric drive vehicles and the requisite charging infrastructure for deployment in a range of locations in the federal fleet during a five-year period. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to direct the Secretary to prioritize the acquisition of plug-in electric drive vehicles over nonelectric alternative fueled vehicles. Establishes within the national deployment program competitive grant programs for: (1) targeted plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment communities; and (2) plug-in electric drive vehicle private fleet upgrade. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize loan guarantees for: (1) plug-in electric drive vehicle fleets; and (2) plug-in electric drive vehicle charging infrastructure and networks of charging infrastructure operational before December 31, 2016. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish programs to fund research, development, and demonstration of advanced batteries, plug-in electric drive vehicle components, plug-in electric drive infrastructure, as well as secondary use applications; (2) study recycling of materials from plug-in electric drive vehicles and their batteries; and (3) establish the Advanced Batteries for Tomorrow Prize for a 500-mile vehicle battery. Establishes in the Treasury the 500-mile Battery Fund. Requires the use of specified funds for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Research and Development Programs. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to study: (1) the raw materials needed for the manufacture of components for plug-in electric drive vehicles; and (2) the infrastructure needed to support such vehicles. Requires the Secretary of Energy to arrange with the National Academy of Sciences to study the collection and preservation of data from plug-in electric drive vehicles. Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require each electric utility to develop a plan to support the use of plug-in electric drive vehicles in its service area. Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct the Secretary to guarantee loans to eligible entities for the aggregate purchase in a calendar year of at least 200 qualified automotive batteries (designed for use in qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles but is purchased for nonautomotive applications) with a total minimum power rating of one megawatt and using advanced battery technology. Requires disposal of advanced batteries in accordance with the Solid Waste Disposal Act (that is, not in landfills). Establishes the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Technical Advisory Committee. Directs the President to establish the Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Interagency Task Force.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Promoting Electric Vehicles Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] reported raising $5.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112s948.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/s>

Record fed-us-cong112-s948 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112