Volume 121, Part 21
Proceedings of Congress and General Congressional Publications
Congressional Record
House of Representatives
94th Congress, 1st Session
Friday, September 5, 1975

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 8800, Electric Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1975

Pages 27691-27692

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1975-pt21/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1975-pt21-4-1.pdf

Electric and hybrid systems

The objective of this program is to develop and evaluate the technologies for advanced electric, hybrid, and vehicular energy storage systems in order to demonstrate vehicle systems that will result in significant reduction in highway system petroleum demands in the mid term, and also demonstrate the viability of alternative transportation concepts capable of independence from petroleum based energy sources in the long term. The program will build upon existing electric and hybrid systems technology and experience in focusing R&D effort to demonstrate the viable application of the technologies to satisfy current and future vehicle requirements. Activities will include the following:

Assess the current status of advanced battery technology and determine alternate approaches that offer the greatest potential for satisfying midterm electric vehicular requirements.

Research and development of advanced battery systems and related controls. Demonstrate these technologies in optimized electric/ hybrid vehicles to assess their viability as energy efficient and publicly acceptable alternate transportation systems.

Develop simulation techniques for optimization and evaluation of electric and hybrid vehicular systems. These techniques will provide an accurate and efficient tool to assist in screening the matrix of potential candidates for directing research and development activities along the most optimum path.

Study and evaluation projects to determine the viability of electric vehicles utilizing near term technology. The results of this evaluation will provide guidance for decisions
concerning near term impact from limited implementation of electric vehicles.

The electric vehicle industry is now a valuable component of our transportation economy. It produces mainly specialty vehicles, but is now branching out on its own to produce electric automobiles. The industry’s trade association, the Electric Vehicle Council, strongly supported this legislation in testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy Research, Development and Demonstration. The Electric Vehicle News has given the bill wide publicity through a number of articles. I would like to pay tribute to the electric vehicle pioneers, and to insert at this point a list of those companies active in electric vehicle technology:

ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN THE UNITED STATES

Limited to passenger cars, trucks, vans, and buses. Poential manufacturers that are known to have developed prototype vehicles.

Name, address, and vehicle type and status

Copper Development .Association, Detroit, Mich.; two passenger, specialty construction.
Die-Mesh Corporation, Pelham, N.Y.; two passenger, prototype.
Electric Vehicle Engineering, Bedford, Mass.; Van, prototype.
Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich.; two and four pas.senger prototypes.
General Electric Corp., Schenectady, N.Y.; van and four passenger prototypes.
General Motors Corp.; Warren, Mich.; van and two and four passenger prototypes.
Linear Alpha. Corporation, Skokie, Ill.; two passenger conversion, special order.
Pargo, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.; van, production planned. Waterman, C.H., Industries, Athol, Mass.; four passenger conversion, prototype.
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa.; van and two and four passenger prototypes.
Stuart Elektrowagon, Ionia, Mich.; two passenger prototype.
Chrysler Corp., Detroit, Mich.; four passenger, prototype.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS IN THE UNITED STATES *1

Limited to passenger cars, trucks, vans, and buses. Manufacturers producing electric vehicles.

Name, address, and vehicle type and status

A.M. General Corporation, South Bend, Ind.; postal van, in production.
Battronic Truck Corporation, Boyertown, Pa.; vans and buses, limited production.
Elcar Corporation, Elkhart, Ind.; two-passenger, in production.
Electric Fuel Propulsion Corporation, Troy, Mich.; four passenger conversion, limited production.
Electric Vehicle Associates, Incorporated, Brook Park, Ohio; four passenger conversion, limited production.
Jet Industries, Austin, Tex.; van, limited production.
Sebring Vanguard, Incorporated, Sebring, Fla.; two passenger, in production.
B&Z Electric Car, Long Beach, Calif.; two passenger, limited production.
Otis Elevator Company, Special Vehicle Division, Stockton, Calif.; van, two passenger prototype, limited production.
Otis Elevator Company, Diversified Operations, Cleveland, Ohio; buses, limited production.

MANUFACTURERS OF TRACTION MOTORS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES *2

Currently associated with the electric vehicle industry.

ASEA International, Vasteras, Sweden.
AIUs-Chalmers Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis.
Ambac Industries, Incorporated, Columbus, Miss.
Applied Motors, Incorporated, Rockford, Ill.
Bosoh, Robert, Corporation, Broadview, Ill.
CA V Limited, Acton, England.
Electric Vehicle Associates, Incorpora.ted, Brook Park, Ohio.
Electro Dynainic Construction Company, Limited, Kent, England.
Fidelity Electric Company, Incorporated, Lancaster, Pa.
General Electric Company, Schenectady, N.Y.
Gould, Incorporated, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Kollmorgen Corporation, Radford, Va.
Lansing Bagnell, Limited, Brama.Iea, Ont.
Lawnel Corporation, Bluefield, Va.
Magnetics International, Maple Heights, Ohio.
Otis Elevator Company, Cleveland, Ohio.
Porter, H. K., Company, Incorporated, Warren, Ohio.
Prestolite Company, Toledo, Ohio.
Rantronics, Incorporated, Palo Alto, Calif.
Rogers Electric Company, Troy, Mich.
Westinghouse Electric Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.

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1 This compilation includes all manufacturers known to the staff of the Division of Transportation at the time of this hearing, June 3, 1975.

2 This information is from the directory of the electric vehicle industry published in February 1975, Electric Vehicle News. A comprehensive listing of electric motor manufacturers which includes those manufacturers not currently associated with the electric vehicle industry can be found beginning on page 5485, “Volume 4, Products and services” of the “Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and Thomas Register Catalog File, 1975”, Tohmas Publishing Company, One
Penn Plaza, New York, N.Y.