Today the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released its 14th annual vehicle environmental rankings showing how vehicles compare to each other with an overall green score. The ‘greenest’ cars list may come as a bit of a shock to some, but after 8 years as the crowned champion, the Honda Civic Natural Gas has been dethroned by the 2012 Mitsubishi i.
The 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV battery electric vehicle earned a ranking of 58, which is the highest Green Score awarded since the rankings started in 1998. The Mitsubishi i-Miev has a combined city and highway fuel economy of 112 MPGe which outpaces any other vehicles currently for sale in the United States.
According to the ACEEE, even taking into account the emissions generated from the electricity used to power the Mitsubishi i-Miev, the Mitsubishi i still outscores other vehicles on the market today.
The Honda Civic Natural Gas tied for second place with the Nissan Leaf. The Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and Smart ForTwo follow. Earning a spot on the green list is proving to be a challenge for automakers given the variety of technologies on the market. Just using the latest technology doesn’t guarantee a top spot anymore. There were plenty of hybrid vehicles introduced to the market this year, but none of them broke into the top 12.
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is currently available in select market, and Mitsubishi plans a nationwide rollout later this year. Although the Mitsubishi i Miev has been available for only a month, Mitsubishi is confident in hitting its sales projections for the year. The Mitsubishi i-Miev comes in a few thousand dollars cheaper than the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt after tax credits.
