The Clean Energy Jobs 5 and Oil Company Accountability Act of 2010 has given a significant boost to both natural gas and plug-in vehicles.
There will be up to $3.8billion in rebates for buyers of natural gas powered vehicles; while $400million will support the deployment of plug-in vehicles in targeted communities. The addition of the provision for electric vehicles was said to be a last minute decision.
As part of the bill, the Department of Energy establishes a Natural Gas Vehicle and Infrastructure Development Program that includes the $3.8billion rebate program for qualified owners that convert or repower a conventionally fuelled vehicle to operate on compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas or to a mixed- or bi-fuel vehicle.
In general, the rebates target medium- and heavy-duty vehicles with not more than 25 per cent to be used to provide rebates to qualified owners to buy alternative fuel vehicles.
The plug-in electric drive vehicle deployment programme, meanwhile, will assist with the introduction of plug-in vehicles in an effort to reduce the use of petrol and reduce the number of greenhouse gas emissions.
