Is Your Car Green Enough for Today?

If you are wondering, “Is your car green?” you aren’t alone. The green question around modern cars is a big one and one that may not be as well answered as you think. Sustainability is a major issue and is impacted by many things, such as the size of the car. So, here is more info.

Used Cars Vs. Electric Vehicles

Buying products that are built to last helps sustainability. And some cars are tough. Just Google “Ineos Grenadier dealers near me” for some real evidence that some vehicles are an absolute unit. Yet buying used cars can also contribute to lower emissions over time. EVs, however, use around 66% less emissions for manufacturing. Yet only around 7 tonnes of carbon is produced over its lifetime. Then, there are the issues around battery life and the cost of replacement.

Electric vehicles are thought to be the be-all and end-all of sustainable and green vehicle manufacture and use. But this is somewhat mired in controversy because they still produce carbon over their lifetime based on manufacture and use. Consider how you recharge an EV. You would need to ensure your car is charged via renewable energy sources all the time and charge it efficiently between 20% and 80% using 19kw charging stations for battery health.

Buying a new car is an experience that should be enjoyed, especially your first or a car you love to work on or have saved for. But there is all the associated guilt around whether buying ICE cars versus an EV. Granted, an EV would produce less carbon emissions, but the data is somewhat unreliable and long-term use hasn’t been tested. New ICE vehicles are also less polluting than a few years ago. In 2020, cars produced 221.4 g/km of carbon compared to 275 g/km in 2007.

Larger cars generally produce more carbon emissions. There are some exceptions, but they are rare. For better fuel economy and lower emissions, it is a widely held belief that you should drive a smaller car. It is also cheaper to run a smaller car, such as a hatchback. For example, if your driving is mainly done (to and from work, for example) within 50 miles, a larger car will cost more and pollute more. Then you have extra costs such as repairs and maintenance to deal with, too.

All the talk about green facts and figures can be draining. So, let’s just get to what you probably want to know. So, what is the greenest car you can buy? There are a few close competitors, but according to expert car dealers, the greenest car available (EU, UK) is the Dacia Spring. Tested against the Clean Air index, Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gases, it scored 10, 9.8 and 10, respectively. This car was followed closely by the much more expensive AUDI Q4 e-TRON.

Is your car green? Well, used cars and EVs can contribute to sustainability. Yet even new cars are much less polluting than a few years ago. But the greenest you can get is the Dacia Spring.