Julia Brownley (D-CA)
Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging Act of 2025 requires the Secretary of Energy to create a National Electric Vehicle Bidirectional Charging Roadmap. This roadmap must include a strategy, obstacles, key actions for Congress, and cost estimates for various development paces. Additionally, the Secretary of Energy must establish technical standards and require that new electric vehicles, including light-duty motor vehicles and school buses, be capable of bidirectional charging starting in model year 2029. The Act also establishes civil penalties for those who violate these new regulations. Finally, it directs FEMA to require that state or local hazard mitigation plans incorporate bidirectional charging capabilities.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +5
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
The bill directs FEMA to require that hazard mitigation plans incorporate bidirectional charging capabilities for disaster recovery.
- Scored +4
Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power?
By standardizing bidirectional charging, the bill supports the integration of electric vehicles into the broader energy grid.
- Scored +3
Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport?
The requirement includes school buses, which can provide energy back to the grid during or after transit service.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Manufacturers face new regulatory requirements and significant civil penalties for noncompliance.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The establishment of new technical standards and potential civil penalties may pose compliance burdens on smaller manufacturers.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Standardized Technology: The Secretary of Energy will establish technical standards for manufacturers to standardize bidirectional charging technology (Section 3(a)(1)). This helps ensure consistency in how technology works.
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Increased Vehicle Capabilities: Beginning in model year 2029, all new electric vehicles, including school buses and light-duty motor vehicles, must be capable of bidirectional charging (Section 3(a)(2)). This allows vehicles to provide energy to an external load when paired with capable equipment (Section 5(1)).
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Disaster Recovery: Hazard mitigation plans submitted by States or local governments will be required to incorporate bidirectional charging capabilities (Section 4).
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Public Transparency: The National Electric Vehicle Bidirectional Charging Roadmap must be made available to the public via the Department of Energy website (Section 2(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Financial Penalties for Noncompliance: Individuals or entities that violate regulations regarding technical standards or bidirectional charging requirements can be fined up to $21,000 per violation, with a maximum penalty of $105,000,000 for a related series of violations (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Development Costs: The Secretary of Energy must estimate the costs of increasing the development and use of bidirectional charging at slow, moderate, or fast paces (Section 2(a)(4)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill directs FEMA to require that hazard mitigation plans incorporate bidirectional charging capabilities for disaster recovery. Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — By standardizing bidirectional charging, the bill supports the integration of electric vehicles into the broader energy grid. Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — The requirement includes school buses, which can provide energy back to the grid during or after transit service.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the National Electric Vehicle Bidirectional Charging Roadmap to be made available to the public via the Department of Energy website.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The push for new technical standards and requirements for electric vehicles may stimulate industry development and employment. Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill requires cost estimates for various development paces to inform future government spending. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The establishment of new technical standards and potential civil penalties may pose compliance burdens on smaller manufacturers.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The use of electric vehicles for disaster recovery could provide localized energy support during power outages. Would people in cities be better off under this? — The inclusion of school buses and light-duty vehicles in bidirectional charging standards benefits urban infrastructure and resilience. Would business owners be better off under this? — Manufacturers face new regulatory requirements and significant civil penalties for noncompliance.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The roadmap requires the Secretary of Energy to establish strategies for increasing the development of bidirectional charging technology.
- 11/20/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 11/19/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House