Hyundai Vs. Tesla: Exec Claims U.S. Funds Superchargers, Electric-Car Maker Angrily Rebuts

Every so often, an auto executive will say something that raises an eyebrow or two.

In this case, a Hyundai executive suggested that while his company had received no money for its hydrogen vehicles from the U.S. government, the Tesla Motors network of Supercharger DC fast-charging stations for electric cars was paid for using "money that has come from grants and loans from the government."

Michael O'Brien is head of U.S. product planning for Hyundai; his assertion came during a discussion of the Korean automaker's view of hydrogen fueling infrastructure and which entities should provide it.

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Indeed, it seems irrefutable that Hyundai received no direct funding from the U.S. or state governments for its more than a decade of research and development into hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

But given that Tesla repaid its entire $465 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Energy more than a year ago--several years ahead of schedule--we thought the Silicon Valley electric-car maker might want to respond to O'Brien's assertion.

Indeed, Diarmuid O'Connell, Tesla's vice president of business development, was more than eager to set the record straight from his point of view.

'Furious' at charge

"I am furious at any allegation that any public money was spent on the Supercharger network," he told Green Car Reports.

"Those sites have been paid for entirely by Tesla Motors--which continues to spend money in expanding the network."