EPA cites Kia Motors America for fuel economy gains

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited Kia Motors America (KMA) in its most recent fuel economy trend report entitled “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2011.” According to the EPA, Kia “had the biggest improvement in adjusted CO2 and fuel economy performance from MY 2009 to MY 2010.” The EPA report is a summary of key trends in CO2 emissions and fuel economy for both gasoline and diesel-fueled personal vehicles that are sold in the United States, beginning in 1975. Based on the EPA’s most recent data, from 2009 to 2010, Kia’s fuel economy gain was 11.6% while and its CO2 emissions was reduced by 10.1%. The EPA statistics show that Kia bested all other major manufacturers by considerable margins. “As an industry leader in fuel economy, Kia is committed to providing safe, high-quality vehicles that are socially relevant to consumers,” said Michael Sprague, KMA’s vice president, marketing & communications. “Our goal is to stay ahead of the industry by applying innovative technologies such as direct-injection and turbocharged engines to advance our efforts and continue improving on the benchmarks Kia has set in the sustainability realm.” (March 15, 2012)