The combined Hyundai-Kia brand has beaten out all other major automakers in the U.S. market when it comes to making strides for greener vehicles, according to a new report from a scientific group.
Judging the top eight carmakers based on their vehicles' carbon and smog emissions, the Union of Concerned Scientists said every company in the group showed progress in pollution reduction for the first time, The Associated Press reported. The scientists began ranking automakers in 1998.
While Hyundai and Kia are marketed and operated separately in the U.S., they are considered a combined automaker elsewhere, according to USA TODAY.
Honda came in second place, while Toyota, Nissan and Volkswagen tied for third and the Detroit Three were ranked last.
Hyundai-Kia topped Honda by putting smaller turbocharged engines in many of its cars and also introducing hybrid versions of the bestselling Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, according to the AP.
As stricter regulations loom in the near future, carmakers are striving to bring greener vehicles to the U.S. market as quickly as possible, Bloomberg reported. To lower emissions, companies will need to double the average fuel-efficiency of their vehicles, offering 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
Greener options have included everything from gas-electric hybrids to pure plug-in vehicles to cars that run on traditional gas but with more fuel-efficient engines. According to UCS, smaller turbocharged engines and hydrogen fuel cells are also important technologies to reduce emissions.
"While automakers have widely used a few key technologies to reduce the global warming impact of their fleets, other technologies on the horizon are also important," said UCS, as quoted by Bloomberg.
While American automakers still came in last place, Ford received praise for its work in lowering vehicle emissions.
"The Detroit Three--Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler--continue to bring up the rear, as they have in every automaker ranking," the UCS noted in its report.
"However, some domestic automakers are making greater strides than others. Ford led the Detroit automakers while achieving the greatest percent reduction in smog-forming emissions of any manufacturer evaluated."
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