WASHINGTON, April 1 (UPI) -- The Obama administration said it placed an order for 100 Chevrolet Volts, scheduled to be the first electric-powered vehicles made by a U.S. automaker.
U.S. President Barack Obama set a goal of putting 1 million plug-in cars on the road by 2015. The order placed this week is a small part of the administration's long-term goal of purchasing 5,000 hybrid vehicles, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday.
"We're going to lead by example and practice what we preach," Obama said.
The order continues an environmentally themed week in Washington.
On Wednesday, Obama announced he was lifting some restrictions on offshore drilling.
On Thursday, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency said they would cut greenhouse gas emissions by raising standards for vehicle fuel efficiency.
By mandating an increase in fuel efficiency of 5 percent a year 2012 through 2016, the administration expects to raise the average fuel efficiency for U.S. cars made in that span to more than 34 miles per gallon.
