With the aim of having one million advanced technology vehicles on US roads by 2015, President Obama’s Budget offers clear support for electric vehicle manufacturing.
As part of its proposals, the budget speaks of transforming the existing $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles into a rebate that will be available to all consumers at the point of sale; to advance innovative technologies through new research and development investments thanks to a $588million investment for vehicle technologies at the US Department of Energy; and a $200million program meant to reward communities that invest in electric vehicle infrastructure.
By contrast, there is bad news for the push towards hydrogen vehicles with the proposed budget reducing funding for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s hydrogen technology programme by nearly $70million.
In total the budget suggests the DOE will spend around $29.5billion – that’s a 12 per cent increase compared to the 2010 enacted level. Other increases come across clean energy programmes; nuclear security; research and development; with significant cuts in fossil energy programmes.
