Code of Federal Regulations: Containing a Codification of Documents of ...

475.3 Test conditions and procedures. 475.4 Units.

Subpart B-Minimum Levels of Performance 475.10 Minimum levels of performance for personal-use vehicles.

475.11 Minimum levels of performance for commercial vehicles.

AUTHORITY: Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94-413, as amended by Department of Energy Act of 1978-Civilian Applications, Pub. L. 95-238; Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-438; Department of Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91.

SOURCE: 45 FR 9544, Feb. 12, 1980, unless oeherwise noted.

Subpart A-General Provisions

8 475.1 Purpose and scope.

This part contains performance standards for electric and hybrid vehicles required to be prescribed by the Department of Energy pursuant to section 7(b)(1) of the Act.

8 475.2

Definitions.

As used in this part:

"Act" means the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976 (Pub. L. 94-413, 90 Stat. 1263 et seq.), as amended by Department of Energy Act of 1978-Civilian Applications (Pub. L. 95-238; 92 Stat. 47, 91-94).

"Commercial vehicle" means a vehicle other than a personal-use vehicle.

"Electric vehicle" means a vehicle which is powered by an electric motor drawing current from rechargeable storage batteries, fuel cells, or other portable sources of electrical current, and which may include a nonelectrical source of power designed to charge batteries and components thereof.

“Hybrid vehicle” means a vehicle propelled by a combination of an elec

tric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power source and components thereof.

“Personal-use vehicle” means a vehicle designed to carry ten persons or less, except a multipurpose passenger vehicle, motorcycle, truck, or trailer, as those terms are defined in 49 CFR 571.3.

"Vehicle" means an electric or hybid vehicle.

"Vital accessories" means headlights, taillights, windshield wipers, windshield defroster and defroster blowers. The heater blowers also shall be considered as vital accessories if the vehicle is equipped with a heater.

8475.3 Test conditions and procedures.

The conditions and procedures in Electric Vehicle Test Procedure-SAE J227a, as revised February 1976, of the Society of Automotive Engineers, shall be used to determine the levels of performance of vehicles for those categories for which minimum levels of performance are prescribed in Subpart B. 8475.4 Units.

The units and unit symbols and abbreviations used in this part are those of the International System of Units (Systeme International) or SI as established by the General Conference of Weights and Measures in 1960 and interpreted and modified for the United States pursuant to the U.S. Department of Commerce Notice on the Interpretation and Modification of the International System of Units for the United States (41 FR 54018, December 10, 1976).

Subpart B-Minimum Levels of Performance

§ 475.10 Minimum levels of performance for personal-use vehicles.

The following minimum levels of performance are required with respect to any personal-use vehicle purchased or leased in fulfillment of contracts entered into following the effective date of these regulations, pursuant to section 7(c) of the Act.

(a) Acceleration. The time required to accelerate from rest to 50 km/h shall not exceed 13.5s.

(b) Gradeability at speed. The grade which can be traversed up at 25 km/h shall be at least 10 percent.

(c) Gradeability limit. The grade on which the vehicle can start and climb for 20s either backward or forward shall be no less than 20 percent.

(d) Forward speed capability. The speed which can be maintained for 5 minutes shall be 80 km/h.

(e) Range. The distance which the vehicle can be operated with vital accessories on or equivalent, shall be:

(1) For an electric vehicle, at least 55 km on the SAE J227 a/C cycle, and (2) For a hybrid vehicle, at least 200 km on the SAE J227 a/C cycle.

(f) Battery recharge time. The vehicle shall be capable of satisfying the range requirement of § 475.10(e) above, after being recharged for no more than 10 hours by use of an onboard charger. At the start of this recharge the vehicle shall have 80 percent discharged batteries as specified by the vehicle test conditions and procedures of § 475.3. The on-board charger shall be compatible with an electric power outlet of 110V or 220V AC, as specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

(g) Recharge control. The vehicle shall have an automatic recharge control which will meet the requirements of energy, life, and safety as such requirements are stated by these performance standards. This paragraph applies when on-board chargers are used and also when off-board chargers supplied by or specified by the vehicle manufacturer for recharge of the vehicle are used.

(h) Energy consumption. (1) For an electric vehicle, the maximum amount of nonelectrical energy consumed shall be that used for operation of the accessories only.

(2) For a hybrid vehicle, nonelectrical energy consumed shall not exceed 1.3 MJ/km and shall also not exceed 75 percent of total energy consumed for propulsion and vital accessories, based on being fully loaded on a driving schedule of 33 km on SAE J227 a/ C cycle plus 33 km at 75 km/h (higher heating value of gasoline taken as 32.7 MJ/L) and with vital accessories on.

(i) Battery life. (1) The vehicle shall be capable of at least 75 percent of the range specified in § 475.10(e) after 12

months or 15,000 km of normal use, whichever occurs first.

(2) The vehicle shall be capable of 100 percent of the acceleration and gradeability specified in § 475.10 (a), (b), and (c), for all test conditions and procedures specified by § 475.3, for 12 months or 15,000 km or normal use, whichever occurs first.

(3) The batteries shall, if necessary, be repaired or replaced by the vehicle manufacturer at no cost to the user of the vehicle in order to meet requirements of (1) and (2) of § 475.10(i).

(j) State-of-charge meter. The vehicle shall have a state-of-charge meter for the propulsion battery system or other means of providing an indication of remaining range.

(k) Odometer. The vehicle shall have an odometer.

(1) Passenger comfort heater. The vehicle shall have the capability of having a passenger comfort heater installed at the option of the purchaser.

(m) Documentation. Adequate user manuals, maintenance (service) manual and parts lists shall be provided.

(n) Emissions. The vehicle shall comply with all applicable Federal emissions regulations for motor vehicles.

(0) Safety, crashworthiness, damageability, crash avoidance and hazards. (1) The vehicle shall comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards as set forth in 49 CFR Part 571, unless a temporary exemption is obtained by the manufacturer from the Department of Transportation.

(2) Until the Department of Transportation issues regulations which cover the same subjects, the vehicle shall also have the following performance characteristics:

(i) The electric propulsion circuit shall be electrically isolated from other conductive portions of the vehicle sufficiently to prevent personal hazards due to contacting any portion of the electric propulsion circuit while in contact with other portions of the vehicle.

(ii) The vehicle shall be capable of complying with the performance requirements of Federal motor vehicle safety standards 208 and 301 with all

battery materials remaining outside the passenger compartment.

(iii) Vehicles with battery vents shall have flame barrier provisions to inhibit battery explosions.

(iv) Ventilation shall be adequate within the battery compartment to maintain the concentration of hydrogen below 4 percent by volume during vehicle operation (including charging and maintenance).

(v) The vehicle shall have a device which provides for the positive disconnection of the battery and which is operable from the normal operator position.

(vi) The vehicle shall be capable of being parked for up to 8 hours in temperatures of -25°C to 50°C and subsequently operated, by moving forward under its own power, at any temperature within this temperature range without damage to the vehicle or hazard to persons.

§ 475.11 Minimum levels of performance for commercial vehicles.

The following minimum levels of performance are required with respect to any commercial vehicles purchased or leased in fulfillment of contracts entered into following the effective date of these regulations, pursuant to section 7(c) of the Act.

(a) Acceleration. The time required to accelerate from rest to 50 km/h shall not exceed 14s for vehicles with a payload carrying capability of less than or equal to 600 kg.

(b) Gradeability at speed. The grade which can be traversed up at 25 km/h shall be at least 10 percent.

(c) Gradeability limit. The grade which the vehicle can start and climb for 20s either backward or forward shall be no less than 20 percent.

(d) Forward speed capability. The speed which can be maintained for 5 minutes shall be 75 km/h.

(e) Range. The distance which the vehicle can be operated with vital accessories on or equivalent shall be:

(1) For an electric vehicle, at least 60 km on the SAE J227 a/B cycle, and (2) For a hybrid vehicle, at least 200 km on the SAE J277 a/B cycle.

(f) Battery recharge time. The vehicle shall be capable of satisfying the range requirement of § 475.11(e)

above, after being recharged for no more than 10 hours. At the start of this recharge, the vehicle shall have 80 percent discharged batteries as specified by the vehicle test conditions and procedures of § 475.3.

(g) Recharge control. The vehicle shall have an automatic recharge control which will meet the requirements of energy, life, and safety as such requirements are stated by these performance standards. This paragraph applies when on-board chargers are used and also when offboard chargers supplied by or specified by the vehicle manufacturer for recharge of the vehicle are used.

(h) Energy Consumption. (1) For an electric vehicle, the maximum amount of nonelectrical energy consumed shall be that used for operation of the accessories only.

(2) For a hybrid vehicle, nonelectrical energy consumed shall not exceed 9.8 kJ/kmkg of cargo and shall also not exceed 75 percent of total energy consumed for propulsion and vital accessories, based on being fully loaded on a driving schedule of 100 km on SAE J227 a/B cycle, the cargo not including the operator, and with vital accessories on.

(i) Battery life. (1) The vehicle shall be capable of at least 75 percent of the range specified in section 475.11(e) after 12 months or 15,000 km of normal use, whichever occurs first.

(2) The vehicle shall be capable of 100 percent of the acceleration and gradeability specified in section 475.11(a), (b), and (c), for all test conditions and procedures specified by section 475.3 for 12 months or 15,000 km or normal use, whichever occurs first.

(3) The batteries shall, if necessary, be repaired or replaced by the vehicle manufacturer at no cost to the user of the vehicle in order to meet requirements of (1) and (2) of section 475.11(i).

(j) State-of-charge meter. The vehicle shall have a state-of-charge meter for the propulsion battery system or other means of providing an indication of remaining range.

(k) Odometer. The vehicle shall have an odometer.

(1) Passenger comfort heater. The vehicle shall have the capability of having a passenger comfort heater installed at the option of the purchaser.

(m) Documentation. Adequate user manuals, maintenance (service) manuals and parts lists shall be provided.

(n) Emissions. The vehicle shall comply with all applicable Federal emissions regulations for motor vehicles.

(2) Until the Department of Transportation issues regulations which cover the same subjects, the vehicle shall also have the following performance characteristics:

(ii) The vehicle shall be capable of complying with ther performance requirements of Federal motor vehicle safety standards 208 and 301 with all battery materials remaining outside the passenger compartment.

(iii) Vehicles with battery vents shall have flame barrier provisions to inhibit battery explosions.

(iv) Ventilation shall be adequate within the battery compartment to maintain the concentration of hydrogen below 4 percent by volume during vehicle operation (including charging and maintenance).

(v) The vehicle shall have a device which provides for the positive disconnection of the battery and which is operable from the normal operator position.

476.5 476.6

Program solicitation.

Evaluation and selection. 476.7 Allowable expenditures. 476.8 Contract proposals.

AUTHORITY: Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94-413, 90 Stat. 1260 et seq. (15 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.), as amended by the Department of Energy Act of 1978—Civilian Applications, Pub. L. 95-238; Department of Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91, 91 Stat. 565 et seq. (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).

SOURCE: 44 FR 57370, Oct. 4, 1979, unless otherwise noted.

§ 476.1 Purpose and scope.

This part establishes a program which makes planning grants available to qualified small business concerns which require assistance in developing, submitting and entering into contracts for research, development, or demonstration of electric or hybrid vehicles pursuant to section 9(c)(2) of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94-413, 90 Stat. 1260 et seq. (15 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.), as amended.

§ 476.2 Definitions.

As used in this part-"Act" means the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94-413, 90 Stat. 1260 et seq. (15 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.), as amended.

"Affiliate" means "affiliate" as defined in 13 CFR Part 121.3-2(a).

"Annual receipts" means the gross income (less returns and allowances, sales of fixed assets, and interaffiliate transactions) of a concern (and its domestic and foreign affiliates) from

sales of products and services, interest, rents, fees, commissions, and/or from whatever other source derived, as entered on its regular books of account for its most recently completed fiscal year and each of the two preceding years (whether on a cash, accrual, completed contracts, percentage of completion, or other acceptable accounting basis) and, in the case of a concern subject to U.S. Federal income taxation, reported or to be reported to the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service for Federal income tax purposes. If a concern has been in business less than 3 years, its average annual receipts shall be computed by determining its average weekly receipts for the period in which it has been in business, and multiplying such figure by 52. If a concern has acquired an affiliate during the applicable accounting period, it is necessary in computing the applicant's annual receipts to include the affiliate's receipts during the entire applicable accounting period, rather than only its receipts during the period in which it has been an affiliate. The receipts of a former affiliate are not included even if such concern had been an affiliate during a portion of the applicable accounting period.

"Concern" means any business entity organized for profit (even if its ownership is in the hands of a nonprofit entity) with its principal place of business located in the United States. "Concern" includes, but is not limited to, an individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, association or cooperative. For the purpose of making affiliation findings, any business entity, whether organized for profit or not, and any foreign business entity, (i.e. any entity located outside the United States) shall be included.

“DOE” means the Department of Energy.

"Hybrid vehicle" means a vehicle propelled by a combination of an elec

tric motor and an internal combustion engine or other power source and components thereof.

"Small business concern" means a concern which, including its affiliates, is independently owned and operated, (a) does not have assets exceeding $3.0 million as of the date of the latest available balance sheet of the concern, (b) does not have average annual receipts for the three preceding fiscal years in excess of $3.0 million, and (c) does not have an average annual net income (after Federal income taxes) for the three preceding fiscal years in excess of $300,000 (to be computed without any benefit of carryover losses), or if a concern has been in business less than three fiscal years, such average annual income shall be based on the relevant period it has been in existence.

"United States" means each of the several States, the territories and possessions of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

§ 476.3 General requirements.

Except where this part provides otherwise, the award and administration of financial assistance under this part will be governed by

(a) 10 CFR Part 600, entitled "Assistance Regulations";

(b) Such other requirements applicable to this part as DOE may from time to time prescribe; and

§ 476.4 Eligibility requirements.

Grants under this part may be made only to small business concerns which lack adequate funds to develop, prepare and submit proposals for entering into contracts for research, development or demonstration of electric or hybrid vehicles under the Act.

§ 476.5 Program solicitation.

(a) Subject to the availability of funds, DOE will solicit applications for planning grants, at least once each year, by issuing a program solicitation. Planning grants may be awarded only in response to the program solicitation.

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