Obama highlights efficient vehicles

Associated Press

LANDOVER, Md.

Pressing his energy- policy goals, President Barack Obama on Friday prodded large companies to modernize their shipping fleets with more fuel-efficient vehicles, improvements that he said would reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil and cut down business overhead costs in the long term.

The president ventured to suburban Maryland and toured a UPS shipping facility, where he examined all-electric as well as hybrid vehicles used by companies such as AT&T, Verizon and PepsiCo. Obama launched a new public-private partnership designed to help large commercial fleets cut back on their diesel and gasoline use.

Noting that he already has a goal of purchasing only fuel-efficient government cars and trucks by 2015, he said: “If we’re going to upgrade all of America’s fleets, our businesses need to step up, as well.”

The stop represents Obama’s second energy- related event of the week, an effort by the White House to respond to rising gasoline prices by placing a focus on Obama’s long-term energy strategies.

On Wednesday, the president called for a one-third reduction in U.S. oil imports by 2025. His energy proposals include boosting domestic oil production, increasing the use of natural gas and alternative fuels and making cars and trucks more efficient.