Democrats Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, with Republican Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, have come together to offer the "Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010," which is expected to speed the nationwide use of plug-in EVs by creating "deployment communities," the senators' offices said.

Further details on the bill were unavailable at press time Tuesday.

Dorgan heads the Senate Appropriations' Energy and Water Development subcommittee, while Merkley and Alexander serve on the Environment and Public Works Committee.

In announcing plans to introduce the bill, the senators said EVs could reduce US dependence on oil imports and reduce emissions of greehouse gases.

--Cathy Cash, cathy_cash@platts.com