The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric was named to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) list of “Greenest Vehicles of 2017.”
The Greenest Vehicles of 2017 list specifies the 12 most environmentally-friendly nameplates available to consumers this model year.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric earned a Green Score of 64. Only the top-scoring configuration of each nameplate is included in this list.
The following vehicles comprise the Greenest List for 2017. Each car is given a whole number Green Score based on an environmental damage index (EDX), which estimates pollution from vehicle manufacturing, the production and distribution of fuel, and vehicle tailpipes.
The new midsize Hyundai Ioniq Electric tops the Greenest List with the highest-ever Green Score of 64, followed closely by the BMW i3. In the last 10 years, the top spot has been claimed only by compact or subcompact vehicles so Ioniq’s first place is quite a feat. The Ioniq is expected to hit the market initially with a 110-mile range, but Hyundai has already mentioned the possibility of a 200-plus-mile version in the future. A hybrid version of the Ioniq will also be available and scores comparably to other vehicles on the Greenest List.
Toyota’s Prius line performs exceedingly well once again, with the lithium-ion Prius Eco variant nabbing the third spot, while the new plug-in Prius Prime and Prius C claim spots 8 and 9. Two hybrid vehicles—the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Kia Niro Hybrid—claim 11th and 12th position. For the second consecutive year, the Greenest List is completely populated by plug-in and hybrid vehicles and contains no vehicle with solely an internal combustion engine. The Mitsubishi Mirage scores the highest of any purely gasoline-powered vehicle with a 58, narrowly missing a spot on this year’s list with a Green Score just below the Niro’s.
“For the second year in a row, plug-in electric vehicles—all-electrics and plug-in hybrids–dominate the Greenest List, proving that these vehicles are really coming into their own,” said Junga. “Even the all-electrics are associated with significant emissions, however, arising from vehicle production and the electricity used for charging. It’s notable that conventional hybrids continue to be environmentally competitive with the plug-ins, taking four of the Greenest slots.”
Vehicles new to the list this year are the much anticipated Chevrolet Bolt and the new Honda Accord Hybrid, which claim the 6th and 11th spots respectively. The Bolt is the first EV with a range of more than 200 miles to make the Greenest List, and at $29,995 after federal tax credits, it opens the EV market to more buyers. The Honda Accord Hybrid, on hiatus last year, claims class-leading fuel economy with modest improvements over its predecessor. Once again this year, a diverse array of manufacturers is represented among the top 12 vehicles.
The Greener Choices list includes trucks and SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Colorado diesel and Honda CR-V. The new Chrysler Pacifica fills the slot for vans on the Greener Choices list and is accompanied on the market this year by a new plug-in hybrid version, which earns an impressive score of 49, better than many compact cars. The gasoline-powered smart fortwo coupe and Toyota Yaris iA top their respective car classes, scoring just below the vehicles on the Greenest List. As the list demonstrates, consumers can make greener choices whatever their vehicle needs. The Big Three American automakers claimed five of the 12 Greener Choices spots:
The Meanest List, comprised this year as usual by large SUVs, heavier medium-duty vehicles and European luxury cars that are the least friendly to the environment.
