The full-electric MINI Cooper SE is the “greenest” car in the U.S. for 2023, according to the … [+]
It’s probably no surprise that the five vehicles rated as being the most environmentally friendly for the 2023 model year are all fully electric powered. If one were to assume that EVs are consistently more environmentally friendly than any internal-combustion engine rides, it would make sense that all of the models on this year’s “Greenest List” compiled by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) would run exclusively on battery power, right?
But that’s not the case. The remaining models on the ACEEE’s top 12 list are hybrids that run primarily on good old gasoline, albeit assisted by electric power. While that would be a sound guess, it reveals the little spoken fact that some electrified rides are less friendly to Mother Nature than others. That’s because powertrain efficiency, a vehicle’s weight, and other factors can have a major effect on a given model’s overall environmental impact, with some hybrid and gasoline vehicles being able to outperform a few EVs in that regard.
“Inefficient and heavy EVs have lower environmental impacts than similarly sized gasoline-fueled cars, but they underperform more efficient EVs,” explains Peter Huether, senior transportation research analyst with ACEEE.
To create its environmental effect ratings the ACEEE examined more than 1,200 mainstream-brand models, including conventional gas or diesel-powered vehicles, hybrids that run on both batteries and gasoline, and full-electric models that come powered solely by batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. Each vehicle is given an overall Green Score that can be used to compare the relative environmental friendliness – or unfriendliness as the case may be – from one model to another. Those are expressed on a 100-point scale, with higher numbers being better.
Each model is also assessed an Environmental Damage Index (EDX) which reflects its dollars-and-cents cost to human health, with lower numbers being better.
The electric MINI Cooper SE leads the pack for 2023 with a Green Score of 67 and an EDX of $0.66 per mile. We’re listing the top 10 models below. By comparison, the environmentally “meanest” model for 2023, the Ram 1500 TRX 4×4 has a Green Score of just 22, and an EDX at a costly $2,78 per mile. We’ll look at the rest of this year’s greatest sinners in a separate post. Ratings and rankings for all vehicles can be found on the ACEEE’s GreenerCars.org website.
While it’s widely known that full electric cars produce zero tailpipe emissions, and higher-mileage hybrid and gas-powered models performing admirably in this regard, there’s more to evaluating a given model’s full environmental impact than its localized carbon discharge. Rather, the ACEEE’s ratings take into consideration the “cradle to grave” impact a given model will have on the environment. This includes a model’s energy source, emissions from manufacturing, and the impact of disposal and recycling.
In addition to the greenest and meanest rankings, the ACEEE compared three models that are offered in both conventionally-powered and full electric versions to demonstrate how each fares with regard to environmental impact. The aforementioned battery-powered MINI Cooper SE is predicted to cause 46% less environmental damage than its ICE-powered alternative. The Volvo XC40 EV is estimated to be 30% more environmentally friendly than its gas/electric hybrid equivalent.
In addition, the full-size Ford F-150 Lightning pickup is said to be 38% less harmful than its gas-powered alternative. It should be noted, however, that the electric version is far from being among the greenest rides on the road, with a Green Score of only 49, compared to 38 with the standard F-150.
And because not everyone necessarily wants or is able to own an electric car or a hybrid, the ACEEE identifies “Greener Choices” in each vehicle class, including those running exclusively on gasoline. The latter include the Mitsubishi Mirage with a Green Score of 59 out of 100, the Kia Soul (53), BMW Z4 sDrive30i (50), and the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 (49).
Here’s the ACEEE’s list of the dozen Greenest Cars for 2023, with Green Scores and EDX cost estimates noted:
Take note that last year’s top-rated model, the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, is redesigned for 2023 with a late-2022 release; unfortunately the ACEEE was not able to analyze its updated data in time for this year’s Greenest Cars report.