The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) on behalf of its Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment/Systems (EVSES) product section, issued a letter of support to HR 1685, the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act of 2011, which was introduced by representatives Judy Biggert (R-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA). HR 1685 proposes various incentives and programs to foster adoption of electric vehicles (EV) and EV infrastructure.
More specifically, HR 1685 extends through 2014 the tax credit for the residential and commercial purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The credit is currently set to expire at the end of this year. The bill expands the tax credit from 30 percent with a cap of $30,000 for businesses and $1,000 for individuals to Recovery Act levels of a 50 percent credit with a cap of $50,000 for businesses and $2,000 for individuals. The legislation would also award up to $300 million in competitive grants to 10 cities across the country.
In addition to the tax provision, the bill establishes:
· A deployment communities grant program at the Department of Energy to identify and demonstrate best practices for incorporating EVs and EV infrastructure into the grid and select communities
· Bonding authority for EV infrastructure investments
· A loan program for manufacturers to reequip their facilities to produce EVSE or EV components
· A program to encourage adoption of EVs by federal fleets.
