CHARGE Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8768
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-21T19:35:57Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The CHARGE Act (Cybersecurity and Hardware Assurance for Resilient Grid Electrification Act) aims to protect the U.S. electric grid from cybersecurity and hardware risks by banning the sale, import, or introduction into U.S. commerce of certain electric vehicles (EVs), EV equipment, and components made by "foreign entities of concern" (typically companies linked to adversarial nations like China).
Key Provisions
- Findings: Highlights China's dominance in the global EV market (two-thirds share), growing EV imports to the U.S., grid vulnerabilities from vehicle-to-grid (V2G) connections, risks of remote software updates, power outages' economic costs ($121 billion annually), and potential for coordinated attacks via connected EVs disrupting grid frequency/voltage.
- New Definitions (added to 49 U.S.C. § 30102(a)):
- Electric vehicle: As defined in existing law (generally plug-in vehicles using electricity for propulsion).
- Foreign entity of concern: Refers to a definition in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (includes entities owned/controlled by China's military or government).
- Vehicle charge power control component: Onboard systems (e.g., chargers, converters, battery managers) that manage energy flow between an EV's battery and charging port.
- Prohibitions (added to 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a)):
- Bans manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, delivering in interstate commerce, or importing:
- EVs or EV equipment made wholly or partly by a foreign entity of concern.
- Any motor vehicle or equipment using a vehicle charge power control component made by such an entity.
- Includes limited exceptions (e.g., certain recalls, repairs, or other subchapters).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the "noncomplying motor vehicles list" under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. Chapter 301) to explicitly cover EVs and specific components from foreign entities of concern.
- Adds new paragraphs to definitions section (§ 30102(a)) and prohibitions section (§ 30112(a)), shifting oversight to treat these items as safety noncompliances (previously focused on crash safety standards).
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gains enforcement role for imports/sales; Department of Energy indirectly benefits from grid protections.
- Citizens: Limits access to cheaper Chinese EVs/components, potentially raising prices; enhances grid reliability, reducing outage risks to homes, businesses, and emergency services.
- International Relations: Restricts trade with China (targeted via "foreign entity of concern"), signaling U.S. national security priorities in EV supply chains.
- Economy/Grid: Mitigates V2G risks from adversarial EVs, protecting against disruptions that could cost up to 2.6% of GDP in a major outage.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- EV Manufacturers/Importers: Chinese firms (e.g., BYD) and suppliers barred from U.S. market.
- U.S. Auto Industry: Domestic/non-Chinese makers (e.g., Tesla, GM) gain competitive edge.
- Utilities/Grid Operators: Protected from V2G manipulation risks.
- Consumers: Fewer low-cost EV options but safer grid integration.
- Law Enforcement/Emergency Services: Reduced risks to vehicle-dependent operations during outages.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Leverages existing NHTSA authority for safety recalls/enforcement; "foreign entity of concern" ties to defense law, enabling broad application without new rulemaking.
- Constitutional: Relies on Congress's commerce clause power to regulate imports/interstate trade for national security.
- Political: Addresses bipartisan concerns over China tech threats and grid resilience amid EV transition; could spur supply chain diversification but face WTO/trade disputes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-12: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-05-12: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-12: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Cybersecurity and Hardware Assurance for Resilient Grid Electrification Act — issued 2026-05-12 — PDF (5 pages)