Government Buys More Hybrids From Hyundai Than Ford
Home / Auto News / News article: Government Buys More Hybrids From Hyundai Than Ford
Luke Vandezande | Jan 11, 6:32 PM
More than half of the alternative-fuel cars bought by government agencies last year were built by Asian automakers.
About 54 percent of the 1,801 alternative-fuel vehicles were built by Hyundai, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Honda. Meanwhile, the number of alternative-fuel Ford products actually lost out to those from Hyundai, according to a report by Bloomberg.
That report cites documents obtained under a Freedom of Information request, the results of which go on to reveal that green-car purchases fell for the third year in a row despite the Obama administration’s goal to exclusively stock its fleets with alternative-fuel vehicles.
In 09, the Obama administration bought about 8,139 alternative technology vehicles — the same year it announced a goal to have 1 million EVs on the road by 2015. But as electric car sales prove to be slow, that goal is looking less and less possible. In 2010, the government’s own purchases fell by more than 20 percent to 6,467. Those purchases were fueled by $ 300 million in federal stimulus spending which expired. In 2011 that meant the government only bought 2,645 alternative technology vehicles.
Why, then, is the money still being spent syphoned mostly into Asian brands? The Obama administration’s shrinking budget means its vehicle purchases go to the lowest bidder according to Roy Durham, the general manager for the dealer that sold the General Services Administration all of its foreign cars last year.
Domestic makers are finally starting to catch up with highly efficient vehicles like the Ford C-Max and Fusion – both of which are available as plug-in hybrids. Chevrolet’s Volt also stands to compete, but Toyota is still the leader for hybrid sales overall.
Discuss this story at GasStinks.com
[Source: Bloomberg]
Know something we don’t?Send us your Tips!
vs
2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe vs 2012 Honda Civic Coupe
Honda has ruled the compact coupe segment for decades, but that may all change with the other H brand releasing its own stylish two-door.
2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs 2013 MINI Roadster Cooper S
2013 Honda Civic2013 Toyota Corolla2013 Ford Focus
2013 AutoGuide.com Car of the Year: the Scion FR-S
The AutoGuide.com Car of the Year has to be a stand-out winner among its competitors, and whether it’s a compact car, a luxury sedan or a sports car, it must set new benchmarks in its class. It must also be an important car, for the automaker, for consumers and for the automotive history books. For…
2013 AutoGuide Car of the Year Nominee: Honda Accord
A testament to just how good it is, the final nominee for the 2013 AutoGuide.com Car of the Year didn’t just beat out the rest of the new models to make our short list, it bested three other cars in its own class. We are, of course, speaking of the 2013 Honda Accord, which makes…
2014 Corvette Leaked, Rear End Revealed
New images of the upcoming 2014 Chevrolet Corvette have hit the the web today, showing off the rear end of the car in detail, as well as some of the interior bits. The images surfaced on a forum, and are allegedly from a user’s guide for the car. The member who posted the photos cannot vouch for…
Ford Mustang-Based Lincoln Coupe Planned
Ford is working hard to give its luxury Lincoln brand a new start, renaming it the Lincoln Motor Company and adding its own design and engineering team. Automotive enthusiasts have been clamoring for Lincoln to launch a rear-wheel drive model and their calls have been heard – to a point. Ford has a rear-wheel drive…
Is Alcohol the Answer to Energy Independence?
What’s old is new again. It seems like every clever idea or radical invention has already been thought of, existing in government patent archives or a 15th century sketch from Leonardo da Vinci. Retro design is a prime automotive example of this, but it’s not the only one. Ethanol is a promising transportation fuel of…
Gazoo Racing Unveils Nurburgring-Bound Lexus LFA, Toyota GT 86: 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon
Undoubtedly Toyota and its partners stole the show at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon, with several vehicles built by Gazoo Racing garnering the the lion’s share of the attention. And while the cars of Gazoo’s GRMN tuning division were popular, the motorsports side also had some new hardware to display, including two full-blown race cars …
2014 Corvette Teased Again, Days Ahead of Reveal – Video
Just three days ahead of its debut, Chevrolet is once again teasing the 2014 Corvette, this time showcasing the attention paid in building the car. Small glimpses of the body can be spied, though past leaked photos (below) have already given an excellent idea of what the C7 Vette will look like. Under the hood,…
MINI Countryman Attempts First Ever Unassisted Backflip – Video Teaser
Looking to build some excitement for its brand, MINI took a highly modified Countryman, put French stuntman Guerlain Chicherit behind the wheel, and asked the duo to execute the first ever unassisted backflip for a car. Unlike other stunt jumps that drivers and vehicles have performed in the past, this backflip is entirely unassisted and…
TAG Heuer Gifts McLaren Mercedes Pit Crew with Watches for Record Pitstop – Video
In honor of the world’s fastest Formula 1 pit stop done by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes pit crew, timepiece maker TAG Heuer has gifted each pit crew member with a Carrera Day-Date chronograph. The 25 crew members were responsible for the first-ever sub 2.500-second pit stop in the world, and will be reminded of that…
Porsche Carrera 4 Films: The Making Of
Sometimes seeing the hard work that goes into making a video is more interesting than the video itself. Porsche has released a “making of” video for its new 911 Carrera 4 films that shows just how much went into their production. In order to film all four seasons within six video-shooting days, the German automaker…
Nissan Resonance Concept Previews Future Crossover, Hybrid Tech
Ahead of its debut next week at the Detroit Auto Show, Nissan has released a lone teaser image of a new concept crossover it calls the “Resonance.” With rumors already pointing to a Murano concept to debut in Detroit, this looks to be just that. While little more than a few lines, Nissan says it’s,…
Toyota Furia Concept Teased Again: 2013 Detroit Auto Show Preview
Reliable and long-lasting, yes, but Toyota models are not known for their dramatic style. That, however, may all change next week when the world’s largest automaker unveils the Furia concept car at the Detroit Auto Show. Teased once again in a lone photo, it’s obvious the Furia is an attractive piece of sheetmetal, with Lexus-like…
2014 Hyundai Genesis Previewed by HCD-14 Concept
Hyundai has announced that it will be showing off a new premium vehicle concept, called the HCD-14, at the upcoming 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The HCD-14 concept will preview the upcoming 2014 Hyundai Genesis, as the brand says it will offer “a glimpse into future Hyundai premium vehicle design.” The Korean brand will also unveil…
Top Ten Best Car Porn Photos and Videos of 2012
Shaping and sculpting sheet metal into something both beautiful and functional is an intensive undertaking that automakers spend thousands of hours and millions of dollars on. And to bring these cars justice, photographers and videographers spend hundreds of hours capturing just the right angle, and finding that one magical location. So for your viewing ple(kata ini dilarang)-re,…
Toyota Furia Concept Headed to 2013 Detroit Auto Show – Video
Toyota will be debuting its Furia Concept at the upcoming 2013 Detroit Auto Show, showing off a new sedan concept from the Japanese automaker. To give us a glimpse at the Furia Concept, Toyota has released a teaser video that shows off a generous use of carbon fiber on the sedan along with sleek, futuristic…
Honda Fit ‘Urban SUV Concept’ Teased Ahead of 2013 Detroit Auto Show
Honda has announced that it will be showing off a new crossover concept at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, called the “Urban SUV Concept.” The photo doesn’t show much and all Honda says about the concept is that it’s “a global concept model combining a sporty and dynamic SUV profile with a spacious, functional interior.”…
Porsche Panamera Sport Hybrid Concept Makes Video Debut
The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept made its first public appearance at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, and now the automaker has released the first official video of the concept. The video shows the concept’s exterior design, but more importantly reveals the Sport Turismo’s digital gauge cluster which could find its way into future Porsche…
Rinspeed microMAX is Your Living Room on Wheels: 2013 Geneva Motor Show Preview
Rinspeed calls itself a “Swiss car visionary” and each year at the Geneva Motor Show, it proves its point. This year, Rinspeed will be heading to Geneva with its microMAX creation, a vehicle that the company says “intends to revolutionize urban traffic.” The idea behind the microMAX was to merge personal and public transportation in…
BMW 4 Series Coupe Concept Photos Leaked
Providing the very first look at what the new 4 Series will look like, photos of the car as a thinly veiled concept have leaked. The pictures are also the first confirmation that from now on BMW’s 3 Series Coupe will wear the 4 Series badge. While similar in style to the 3 Series sedan,…
Mercedes Ener-G Force Concept Video, First Look: 2012 LA Auto Show
Displaying one of the most futuristic concepts at the 2012 LA Auto Show was Mercedes-Benz, with the Ener-G Force concept. The Ener-G Force was designed to be the ultimate police vehicle, and apparently teases some of the design cues which may be adopted by Mercedes’ hardcore off-roader, the G-Class. It’s said to offer 500 miles…
See All Categories
CLOSE X AutoGuide.com News Categories
