Ford Motor spent $1.67 million for lobbying during first quarter

Ford Motors Co spent $1.67 million lobbying tax breaks for electric cars, incentives for spending on research, manufacturing and other issues during the first quarter.

Ford lobbied Congress on pending legislation that would establish an advanced vehicle research program at the Department of Energy, and on a bill that requires automakers to provide repair and diagnostic information to independent car repair shops, the Associated Press reported.

The carmaker also supported a bill that would boost the number of plug-in electric vehicles or green cars eligible for a federal tax credit to 500,000 from 200,000, the report said.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches of government under a federal law enacted in 1995.