Open Fuel Act of 2017

Open Fuel Act of 2017

This bill requires each fleet of a manufacturer of passenger automobiles (including light-duty motor vehicles) to be comprised of at least:

• 50% qualified vehicles in model year 2020, and
• 80% qualified vehicles in model year 2021 and each subsequent year.

A "qualified vehicle" is:

• a vehicle that operates on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel;
• a flexible fuel vehicle capable of operating on gasoline, E85, and M85;
• a plug-in electric drive vehicle; or
• a vehicle propelled solely by fuel cell or by something other than an internal combustion engine.

The bill authorizes: (1) a manufacturer to request an exemption from such requirement for specified models, lines, and types of automobiles; and (2) the Department of Transportation to grant such an exemption upon determining that unavoidable events prevent the manufacturer from meeting its required production volume of qualified automobiles.