H.R. 2188 — COST Act

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct analyses of the costs of replacing gasoline-fueled light-duty vehicles in the federal fleet with (1) electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and (2) flex-fuel ethanol vehicles, including necessary infrastructure deployment costs for each feasible type nationwide, and to publish the analyses online not later than one year after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct, using the most recent Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation model (GREET model) developed by Argonne National Laboratory, a lifecycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from (1) conventional gasoline vehicles, (2) E85-capable flex-fuel vehicles, and (3) battery electric vehicles. The Secretary must submit a report on the analysis to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation not later than one year after the date of enactment.

This section defines, for purposes of the Act, (1) E85 as a fuel containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline; (2) federal fleet as the fleet of federally owned or operated motor vehicles as reported in the most recent Federal Fleet Report of the General Services Administration; and (3) light-duty vehicle as a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than or equal to 8,500 pounds.