Every year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) releases its comprehensive environmental ratings for U.S. vehicles. This year marks the 19th rendition of the Greenest and Meanest cars list, and electric vehicles dominated the rankings this time around.
The following vehicles comprise ACEEE’s Greenest List for 2016:
- Smart ForTwo Electric Drive Convertible
- Chevrolet Spark EV
- Fiat 500E
- Toyota Prius Eco
- Volkswagen e-Golf
- Nissan Leaf
- Kia Soul Electric
- Toyota Prius C
- Toyota Prius
- Ford Focus Electric
- Chevrolet Volt
- Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
For the first time ever, the Greenest List is completely populated by plug-in and hybrid vehicles; not a single vehicle with only an internal combustion engine appears. ACEEE says this is partly due to the disappearance of a few of the longstanding entries on the Greenest List, including the Honda Civic Natural Gas, from the U.S. market.
“The 2016 scores are in, and plug-in electric vehicles are outpacing all other vehicle offerings in terms of environmental friendliness,” says Shruti Vaidyanathan, ACEEE lead vehicle analyst.
With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that Volkswagen has cheated federal emissions standards since 2009 with the use of defeat devices, the site suspended its Green Scores for all affected VW, Audi and Porsche diesel models.
The Greener Choices list includes trucks and SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Trax, GMC Canyon and Ford Transit Connect van. The gasoline-powered Chevrolet Spark and Honda Fit top their respective car classes. As the list demonstrates, ACEEE says, consumers can make greener choices whatever their vehicle needs may be. Domestic manufacturers claimed five of the 12 Greener Choices spots:
- Toyota Prius Eco
- Toyota Prius C
- Smart ForTwo Convertible
- Chevrolet Spark
- Toyota Prius V
- Honda Fit
- Ford C-Max Hybrid
- Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
- Chevrolet Trax
- Ford Transit Connect Van
- Range Rover Evoque
- Chevrolet/GMC Colorado/Canyon
ACEEE says the Meanest List this year comprises one pickup, heavier medium-duty vehicles and a handful of European sports cars that are the least friendly to the environment. Vehicles with very low sales units are omitted from this list, and this year, Class 2b pickups weighing above 8,500 lbs. were not rated.
Mercedes-Benz dominated the Meanest List, taking five of the 12 spots:
- Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG
- Chevrolet/GMC G2500 Express/Savana
- Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG
- Bentley Mulsanne
- Mercedes-Benz G 550
- Toyota Sequoia FFV
- Ford Transfit T150 Wagon FFV
- Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG
- Lexus LX570
- Bentley Continental GT Convertible/Flying Spur
- Toyota Tundra
- Mercedes-Benz GL 550 4MATIC
