Greenest cars: natural gas Honda Civic GX, Nissan Leaf electric and, just barely, Chevrolet Volt

For a list of the greenest 2011 model-year vehicles, there sure are a lot of traditional gasoline engines among the top 12 cars ranked by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The council's 14th annual ratings of the most eco-friendly cars on the market include internal combustion models such as the Smart Fortwo, the Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Elantra.

The natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX topped the list for an eighth straight year, with a score of 54, followed by the new all-electric Nissan Leaf. Other vehicles considered to be the greenest of the crop included the hybrid Toyota Prius and the hybrid electric Chevrolet Volt, which squeaked into the last spot.

The electric version of the Smart Fortwo would have pulled in a score of 60, but with only 250 units of the 2011 model available in the U.S. (and then only on a trial basis), the car didn't meet sales requirements for the list. 

"Vehicles running on electricity emit nothing from the tailpipe, but their 'upstream' emissions can be substantial, depending on where they're charged," said Therese Langer, the organization's director. "As U.S. power generation becomes cleaner, these vehicles' scores will rise."

The battery manufacturing and disposal processes -– which can be emissions-laden and toxic -– were also factored into the calculations and knocked electricity-dependent vehicles down a few rungs.

Diesel vehicles missed out entirely. Other talked-about cars, such as the electric Tesla Roadster, didn't make the cut.

The list of gas guzzlers -– known as the "meanest" -– included heavy trucks and sport utility vehicles instead of the rash of European sports cars that has dominated in the past. Still, the Bugatti Veyron, one of the most expensive cars in the world, led with a score of 19.

RELATED:

Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt: Will one be Green Car of the Year?

Detroit Auto Show: Honda reveals all-new Civic concept

-- Tiffany Hsu [follow]

Photo: Dick Messer, then-executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, with his natural gas Honda Civic in 2009. Credit: Christine Cotter/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[stan]

Either way will all pay big Gov. for nothing.

[JeffU]

After 1700 miles in my Volt I haven't bought gas yet.

Still driving on the first tank from the Chevy dealer. I've used only 6 gallons.

That's 283 MPG.

Plugin, charge, drive, plugin, charge, drive. Get it. No gas.

Yes with the heater and defroster on you might have to use a half gallon here or there. But you use the battery first for 30-40 miles, then plugin or use some gas.

It's fantastic. And just the start of a new way of life.

If the gas stations close I can still get to work and back and more on battery only.

Drive Electric and Live Free.

[robertr]

@JuffU,

For the price difference between the Volt and the Leaf ( I have put my $99 down) I could make car payments for around 6 years.

I really don't see how I can want to spend that extra money on something that will move my ass from point A to point B

[mipak]

What good are either cars you can't buy them in Colorado! All the green vehicles made to date are staying away from cold weather states because they are afraid to admit how poorly the cars do in cold weather!

[mipak]

Please explain to me why one electric car is greener than another? None of them burn hydrocarbons and produce CO2!

[Henry]

Here are 8 things you don't know about the Nissan Leaf: http://www.energyinyourlife.com/article.php?t=100000210

[JeffU]

That should be "without" using gas. in my last post.

And BTW, even if your commute was 100 miles to work, in the Volt that would be 40 miles electric only at 3 cents a mile, ($1.20), and 60 miles hybrid at 37 MPG, so maybe you would use 1.6 gallons of gas, ($5.68) at $3.50 a gal.

So the total cost to go 100 miles in a Volt would be about $6.88.

The national average is 19 MPG. At $3.50 a gal that would cost $18.42 to go the same 100 miles.

And if you drive a gas guzzler burning at 14 MPG, that would cost $25.00 to go 100 miles.

That's $18.12 you could save EVERY DAY just in your commute alone driving a Volt.

[JeffU]

@Geo
I considered the Leaf. I drove it and it's a great car too. But liked the styling of the Chevy Volt much better. The wow factor is more in the Volt as far as the power and handling. And I may want/ need to travel hundreds of miles sometimes. The Volt and the Leaf are not equal or for the same market. They are too different kinds of cars.

The Volt works for me. I commute to work 25 miles round trip. I can go out to lunch or errands during the day. I think I use my car as MOST Americans do. Only now I do it with burning gasoline almost 100% of the time.

I'm getting 212 MPG right now car lifetime MPG. That will go down the more I have to use gas. But that's OK, I'm barely using any gas now. I don't think the price of the Volt is all that high compared to the quality of the car and the overall cost of owning a car that I can mostly drive on my own electricity.

I love cars that are fun to drive and driving electric is a unique, very fun experience. I love the smooth, silent power and firm handling of the Volt.

[Geo]

13o,000 miles in 4 years? YOU are not green.

[trust no one]

@ JeffU,

That's wonderful that you're able to use the Volt by taking short trips, coming home and charging up again. Most people cannot do this because of commute times.

The LEAF is much better at this as it's electric range is more than double the Volt. 73 miles compared to the 25 miles out of the Volt. Those numbers are from the EPA, not GM or Nissan.

You should have saved yourself thousands and bought the LEAF instead.

[Willfred]

Dogma driven electric car followers can not stop attacking their fair competence

[Bill Irwin]

I have had my GX for 4 years, 130,000 miles with no use of oil, I use synthetic...
The GX is the cleanest because of how and where the power is generated for all-electric vehicles. In the midwest most power is generated by Coal, so the Prius is actually cleaner than the all-electric because of the filth spewed by coal power plants. Natural Gas is not just acquired by fracking, in oil wells it is considered a problem. It can be generated by waste, by algae, and when we figure out how to mine it, it exists frozen in huge quantities on the ocean floor. Natural Gas Automobiles are a novelty (you should try to buy gas) and will remain such because of the huge lack of infrastructure, but the positives that they provide in decreased CO2 and particulate pollution make them a useful step towards cleaner transportation.

[glenn grab]

you guys with the all electric cars are kidding yourselves! what if you want to go more than 40 miles away, or perhaps, on a whim, decide to change your carefully scripted, out of necessity, travel plans?...you're screwed, I'll bet at that point, you'd wish you were driving a big Ford Expedition diesel with a 60 gallon gas tank and a range of 900 miles!!!

[Paul Scott]

I have to ask if you considered the upstream pollution from acquiring, shipping and storing the natural gas. Have you seen "Gasland"? Do you even know how polluting the extraction of natural gas is?

I've been driving an EV for over 8 years and generating the kWh from sunlight falling on my house. I know lots of EV drivers who do the same. EVs at least allow you to drive zero pollution "well-to-wheels". It's your choice to get electricity from renewable wind and solar. There's zero chance you can do the same with carbon-based energy.

[JeffU]

The Volt's battery is made with very valuable materials and is 90% recyclable. No plugin car battery will ever be thrown away in a landfill. Lithium is not toxic.

Electric cars energy source gets cleaner as we clean up our electric grid generation.

Any car that BURNS something only gets dirtier with time.

Electric cars running on 100% coal are way cleaner that gas cars now.

The oil and gas power brokers of the world are fearing plugin electric cars enough to make up studies and publish articles that slam plugin electric cars.

[JeffU]

I’m getting 202 MPG in my Volt during my first month of real-world driving.
So this article is not credible at all.
I have over 1400 miles on my Volt and I’m still on my first tank of gas.
I use it as any primary car I’ve owned. Commuting, taking my Son to school, shopping, errands, visits, trips, etc.
But the best is that it is a very fun car to drive. Smooth, silent power.
Most days I don’t use any gas.
There is plenty of time to charge it between trips so I can almost always drive all electric.
I don’t know when I will visit a gas station next. Maybe every 3 months or so.
The truth about the Volt is still unfolding and that truth is fantastic.

[Barry]

There are other ways to recharge the battery: voltaic and wind generation.

[khallo]

The article states that because currently the electricity produced to plug into the Leaf is from not so green sources such as coal they are deducted for points. Also the fact that the rechargeable batteries when disposed of results in toxic waste result in deduction of points. When more renewal sources are used to produce electricity and better ways of making batteries come out then the Leaf and other all electric cars will be number 1 in green ratings.

[ruimegas]

Hello,

Nissan Leaf = no tailpipe = zero emission

Honda Civic GX = natural gas engine = > than zero emission

How can anyone believe in this results and specially say "... with a score of 54, followed by the new all-electric Nissan Leaf."

Incredible