Leaf and Prius stomp the Volt on greenest car list

[KILLER74Z28]

Leaf and Prius stomp the Volt on greenest car list

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Chevrolet Volt didn't rank as one of the top-ten "greenest" cars in America, coming at no. 12, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual list.
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The fully electric Nissan Leaf ranked second among all 2011 model year cars on the same list. First place went to the compressed natural gas powered Honda Civic GX.

Vehicles are ranked according to a "Green Score," factoring fuel economy and emissions, including emissions from electric power plants. The relative impact of a vehicle's manufacture and disposal, based on the car's weight, was also considered.

The top 12 cars include gasoline-powered cars, plug-in cars, gasoline/electric hybrids and natural gas powered vehicles. No diesel cars made the top ranks because of their relatively high emissions compared to very fuel-efficient gasoline-powered cars.

The Volt can run on electricity or gasoline. For the purposes of these rankings, the ACEEE assumed the Volt was driven on plug-in electricity 64% percent of the time and on gasoline 36% of the time. The ratio was based on a standard recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers, an ACEEE spokeswoman said.

"As a gasoline vehicle, the fuel economy's not stellar," said Shruti Vaidyanathan, a spokeswoman for the ACEEE.

When operating under gasoline power, the Volt gets EPA-rated fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in the city and 40 on the highway.

That's not as good as the third-ranked Smart ForTwo, which gets 41 mpg on the highway, 33 in the city or the fourth-ranked Toyota Prius, which gets 48 on the highway and 51 in the city.

A car's weight is considered an important factor into the rating system, so the Volt's nearly 3,800 pounds dragged its rankings down. The Chevrolet Cruze Eco, a gasoline-powered car that's otherwise very similar to the Volt but weighs 750 pounds less, ranked 8th on the list. Most of the Volt's additional weight comes from its lithium-ion battery pack.

For electric and hybrid cars the organization accounted for battery weight separately. Nickel-metal batteries used in hybrid cars like the Prius have a greater impact, pound for pound, than the less toxic, but far larger, lithium-ion batteries used in the Leaf and Volt.

Weight accounted for roughly 40 pct of the Volt's overall score.

All told, the Volt ended up ranking lower than six non-hybrid gasoline powered cars.

"I find it kind of laughable," said GM spokesman Rob Peterson when told of ranking and the rational behind it.

Peterson objected to the idea that the Volt's weight counted so heavily against the Volt.

"It's one group's interpretation of a measurement of 'green'," he said.

The ACEEE gave every 2011 model year a "Green Score" base on its overall environmental impact. Among the lowest-scoring vehicles of all were the Ford Expedition and the Chevrolet Suburban.

The ACEEE is a Washington-based non-profit group dedicated to "advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity," according to its Web site. The group has produced an annual "Green Cars" guide since 1998.

[a_Username]

Seriously, that had some very anti-green criteria for being called "green." I'd have to say that I agree with the Chevy spokesman on this one.

[TOMS1SS]

Maybe the Volt just doesn't have the same Smug emmissions the Prius does.... Either way I think these cars are a total waste of money compared to a good ole sub-compact car. If I recall correctly the Prius starts at 22k, so basically you're paying a 6k markup over a normal sub-compact before options. When are you ever going to make up 6k or even 10k in options in gas savings? It certainly won't be before the electric motor expires in 8 years, 100,000 miles..... The Volt unfortunately is the worst offender as far price at wel over 40k sans government rebates. I know the cost of tooling these electric motors doesn't pay for themselves but I won't be interested in hybrids until electric assist is a low dollar or standard option on most cars and that may or may not ever happen. For now I'm happy with the near hybrid 39.8 MPG gallon I get in my work car Fiesta that I got for 16k out the door.

[Number 3]

This shows clearly two general biases: One against GM and two the complete misunderstanding of technology.

Remember the "Group of Concerned Scientists" or whatever they call themselves? None are scientist and they are simply focussed on mass. You see that way they can maintain that you can still have Suburbans you just have to make them 1,000 pounds lighter and it only costs $200 to do it. So these guys are simply rewarding their view of the world, not the real world.

Sadly, the custome is not generally knowledgable enough to know when they are being told opinions rather than fact.

Volt is usable technology that eliminates the range axiety fear which is Number 1 with a bullet on any clinic or customer survey. And these "experts" alway poo poo that because for them those are "unrealistic" fears.

But mostly just another chance to bash GM.

[FenwickHockey65]

Gotta love how they expect GM to change the laws of physics to fit their idiotic agenda.

But they should have fun in their "green" Leaf. Just let us know six months from now when you finally get your hands on it...and the first time you get stuck on the side of the road.

[KILLER74Z28]

Originally Posted by Number 3

This shows clearly two general biases: One against GM and two the complete misunderstanding of technology.

Remember the "Group of Concerned Scientists" or whatever they call themselves? None are scientist and they are simply focussed on mass. You see that way they can maintain that you can still have Suburbans you just have to make them 1,000 pounds lighter and it only costs $200 to do it. So these guys are simply rewarding their view of the world, not the real world.

Sadly, the custome is not generally knowledgable enough to know when they are being told opinions rather than fact.

Volt is usable technology that eliminates the range axiety fear which is Number 1 with a bullet on any clinic or customer survey. And these "experts" alway poo poo that because for them those are "unrealistic" fears.

But mostly just another chance to bash GM.

Totally agree. It seems like everyone is a expert and what they say is the "WORD"... It almost feels like if the Volt weighed less they would find some other reason to say it's not green.

[DGthe3]

If it works, it works and if it doesn't, it doesn't. Just because it doesn't get there the way you'd like it to doesn't make it a bad thing. I also wonder how they figured out the disposal emissions for the 400 lbs of the Volts battery. To my knowledge, there aren't any facilites that can do it, and there won't really be a need for them for quite some time. Its one thing to analyze the recycling cost of steel, aluminum, or plastic. Those are all mature processes. But Li-ion recycling is in its infancy at best right now. Anyone who predicts what it will be in 10 years is essentially guessing.

I wonder, do they include the half a million gallons of bunker diesel that ships burn when they take a load of Priuses from Japan to America? Or do they ignore that out of convenience?

[BackinBlackSS/RS]

They look like crap compared to the Volt. The Volt provides the peace of mind that you have gas backup if you need it. What a joke this is.

[Cmicasa the Great XvX]

The list is silly to say the least.

Hold on... they ranked the Smart ForTwo, which gets 41 mpg on the highway, 33 in the city, THIRD... a car that can carry only 2 people... and maaaaaaaaybe a woofer ball bat, and call it greener than a car that gets 40 mpg on the highway, 35 in the city when running on gas, but does have too because it can run on electricity.. and carry 4 people and a decent bit of cargo. The Volt's carbon footprint is less than the Smart and the Civic

OH.. and here's the kicker. See something peculiar?? Are we sure this wasn't conducted by a group with some Natural Gas lobbyist in tow?

[RiCorvette]

Caveat Emptor; I prognosticate that the foolish buyers of the all electric cars are in for a shock when their electric bill doubles or trebles.

...or am I, the rate payer, on the hook for a subsidy to cover their increased usage?

[PQ]

While the method of these guys is ridiculous, to say the least, I see the same type of 'spun' rationale by GM people, Ford people, Chrysler and the imports as well.

Fanboys are fanboys.

And don't even realize they are doing it.

[Camaro_Corvette]

This is all I can say to this

[Noturday]

Originally Posted by KILLER74Z28

The ACEEE gave every 2011 model year a "Green Score" base on its overall environmental impact. Among the lowest-scoring vehicles of all were the Ford Expedition and the Chevrolet Suburban.

no way! big trucks with iron block v8's aren't "green"? thats news to me

though the rest of it is amusing, i find this to be the funniest part

[Scrappy Doo]

Originally Posted by PQ

While the method of these guys is ridiculous, to say the least, I see the same type of 'spun' rationale by GM people, Ford people, Chrysler and the imports as well.

Fanboys are fanboys.

And don't even realize they are doing it.

THIS