Washington Democrats are apparently seriously considering devoting a portion of the $800 billion economic stimulus bill expected to make its way through Congress next month to advanced vehicle and battery research. The money would be designed to help automakers build and develop advanced batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States.
“I’d be very surprised if there is not serious money for batteries in the stimulus bill,” Delaware Democrat Tom Carper told the Detroit News. “If we’re going to put all this money into battery development, it’s important to me and I think my colleagues that we build those batteries right here in America.”
Michigan’s congressional delegation has agreed to push for at least $1 billion in funds.
According to various reports, Congress is considering several options, ranging from directly granting money to battery research, creating a manufacturing program to ensure that batteries are developed and built in the U.S., and, according to some sources, doubling the $25 billion loan previously granted to automakers for retooling factories to build more efficient automobiles.
Detroit’s automakers have applied for $22 billion in loans from the retooling program and companies like electric carmaker Tesla, Delphi, and South Carolina electric carmaker RTEV have also applied for shares of the money.
General Motors asked for $8 billion to go towards the Chevrolet Volt and Cruze development, Ford asked for $5 billion and Chrysler LLC, which will introduce additional electric cars at next week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, has requested $8.5 billion.
01/07, 9:27 AM
posted by:
jonmiles
GOOD. Now maybe some americans other than ceo’s on wallstreet will benifit from the stimulus package
01/07, 10:05 AM
posted by:
DB9
OMG, Common sense – from Washington nonetheless… Nah must be the holiday hangover or they are getting giddy in anticipation of inauguration day. Battery technology, or more broadly – advanced energy storage, has many implications for the future; not just the transport sector. It should have been funded as a DARPA project years ago as it requires participation among the private, public and research/academic communities over a long period. It will take ongoing funding and require a long-term commitment. Major stakeholders in the field have been requesting this for decades only to be given lip service. The military and scientific applications alone make it advisable. Remember NASA and the lunar program. A few $B and a stick to the D3 isn’t going to do it – just makes for a dog and pony show;-)
DB9
01/07, 10:50 AM
posted by:
bigjimid
Take more than 1 billion! I’m willing to give up much or all of my stimulus check if it means helping and better America. Let make people want made in America products again!
01/07, 10:50 AM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
what a great idea…now make sure we get our money back!
01/07, 10:55 AM
posted by:
carstuff
Most of the funds talked about above would be grants, not loans
01/07, 10:56 AM
posted by:
Brendino
Why doesn’t Detroit go over to Apple and ask them about their new battery technology?
01/07, 11:10 AM
posted by:
JakeK66
Democrats are pussies and I wouldn’t be suprised if this gets f’ed up before any of these funds get released. They are allowing Blagojovich’s senate choice in for gosh sakes!
01/07, 11:28 AM
posted by:
jonmiles
^Correction, Jake; Politicians are pussies. These days you have to be a moron to think one party is better than the other.
01/07, 11:29 AM
posted by:
Zcarsales
I’ve got a great idea! Instead of artificially controlling the marketplace. Remove all the barriers in an overregulated automotive industry. Remove all the barriers that the “Evil” oil industry faces in doing business in the United States. Have politicians stop taking campaign contributions frome the leadership of destructive labor unions (UAW). Go to a tax system that is designed to generate revenue for the government, and not design a social system (i.e. the Fair Tax). Let this stew for about a year, maybe two, and watch what happens.
Unfortunately, the deck is stacked against doing business in this country, and the people are mistakingly blaming the free market for the economy the way it is. Government is completely responsible for this fiasco. Gov’t doesn’t produce jobs just regulations and taxes that get in the way.
The real question is: Would you rather drive a environmentally destructive battery powered car (think about that), or would you rather drive a car that suits your needs as a consumer? If you want something that is miserly on gas, that’s great. If you want something that’s big and powerful for the illusion of safety, great! Fast, go for it. If given the choice the American people will choose what they want.
01/07, 11:58 AM
posted by:
RaineMan
Yes! Yes! Please devote several billion to battery development so everyone can afford a hybrid vehicle. That way all you crooked politicians who are spending our tax dollars in the first place can whine because you aren’t getting enough revenue from gasoline taxes anymore and hike them. So gas will be back at $4 a gallon dispite the fact that demand is way way down because we are all getting 40+MPG.
It never ceases to amaze me… the people go green and cut back on driving, just like we were encouraged to do and the politicians clamor for ways to raise taxes while spending hundreds of billions of our dollars to help out rich wall street bankers who didn’t have to answer for their failures and still aren’t being held accountable for causing the worst global economic fiasco in over 100 years.
01/07, 3:53 PM
posted by:
Struggle
Like any of that money would truly go into technology.
Exec’s pockets? Probably.
Unless there are some SERIOUS watch guards on this, it’s just more fuel for the waste fires.
01/07, 7:56 PM
posted by:
Gundy
I hope they add a few billion for some sort of “shields” for the occupants riding above those cancer-causing batteries. The EMF’s coming out of electric cars have yet to be looked into seriously, and it could be a big health problem down the road (bad pun).