The ‘Greenest’ Cars For 2016
It’s apparently not an easy time in which to be a vehicular environmentalist. Sales of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market are plummeting in lockstep with falling gasoline prices, which at a national average of $1.83 (according to the AAA) is the lowest per-gallon cost in a decade. “Green” car sales dropped by around 16 percent last year as motorists are instead rekindling their love affair with trucks and crossover SUVs.
Still, automakers are putting more fuel-efficient cars in the pipeline – if only because they were conceived back when gasoline cost around $3.00 a gallon. These include refreshed versions of the Toyota Prius hybrid, Chevrolet Volt “extended range” EV, and the Nissan Leaf full EV, along with the new Tesla Model X debuting for 2016, and a host of new hybrid and electric models headed to dealers’ showrooms down the road, including the affordable 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV that promises 200 miles on a charge.
Not surprisingly, electrified vehicles comprise all 12 slots in the annual “Greenest Cars” list compiled by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in Washington, D.C. On the plus side, with demand for them weakening, it’s become a buyers’ market for EVs and hybrids, with deep discounts and cash rebates being widely offered to help move the metal. What’s more buyers of full-electric and plug-in hybrid cars are still eligible for a federal tax credit as rich as $7,500, in addition to any state and local incentives that may apply.
For the third year running, the ACEEE says the greenest car sold in the U.S. is the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, which receives a top “Green Score” of 63, and is EPA rated at the electric equivalent of 107 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Likewise receiving a Green Score of 63 is the Chevrolet Spark EV with an “e-mpg” rating of 119 city/highway. Toyota leads the list with three hybrids represented, with Chevrolet placing two electric cars among this year’s greenest models. We’re featuring the full list in the accompanying slideshow.
Forrás: http://www.forbes.com/
