Green vehicle

"Green vehicles" redirects here. For other uses, see Green vehicles (disambiguation).
The Toyota Prius is the world's top selling hybrid electric vehicle, with global sales of 3.7 million units through April 2016.[1] Some owners use its identity to make an environmental statement.[2]
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A green vehicle, clean vehicle, eco-friendly vehicle or environmentally friendly vehicle is a road motor vehicle that produces less harmful impacts to the environment than comparable conventional internal combustion engine vehicles running on gasoline or diesel, or one that uses certain alternative fuels.[3][4] Presently, in some countries the term is used for any vehicle complying or surpassing the more stringent European emission standards (such as Euro6), or California's zero-emissions vehicle standards (such as ZEV, ULEV, SULEV, PZEV), or the low-carbon fuel standards enacted in several countries.[5]

Green vehicles can be powered by alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies and include hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, compressed-air vehicles, hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles, neat ethanol vehicles, flexible-fuel vehicles, natural gas vehicles, clean diesel vehicles, and some sources also include vehicles using blends of biodiesel and ethanol fuel or gasohol.[4][6] In 2021, with an EPA-rated fuel economy of 142 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (mpg-e) (1.7 L/100 km), the 2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD became the most efficient EPA-certified vehicle considering all fuels and all years, surpassing the 2020 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus and 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Electric.[7]

Several authors also include conventional motor vehicles with high fuel economy, as they consider that increasing fuel economy is the most cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector in the short run.[8] As part of their contribution to sustainable transport, these vehicles reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to energy independence by reducing oil imports.[4][8]

An environmental analysis extends beyond just the operating efficiency and emissions. A life-cycle assessment involves production and post-use considerations. A cradle-to-cradle design is more important than a focus on a single factor such as energy efficiency.[9][10]

  1. ^ Millikin, Mike. "Worldwide sales of Toyota hybrids surpass 9 million units; Prius family accounts for 63%". Green Car Congress. Retrieved 2016-05-22. The Prius family accounts for 63% of Toyota's total global cumulative hybrid car sales: 5.691 million units, consisting of Prius liftback: 3.733 million; Aqua, Prius c: 1.249 million; Prius α, Prius v, Prius +: 0.634 million; Prius PHV: 75,000.
  2. ^ Maynard, Micheline (2007-07-04). "Say 'Hybrid' and Many People Will Hear 'Prius'". New York Times. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
  3. ^ R.I.C. Publications (2005). Rainforests. R.I.C. Publications. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-74126-330-5.
  4. ^ a b c "Green Vehicle Guide". Green Student U. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  5. ^ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Working Group on Low-Emission Vehicles (2004). Can cars come clean?. OECD Publishing. pp. 84–85. ISBN 978-92-64-10495-2.
  6. ^ "Alternative and Advanced Vehicles". Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicle Data Center, U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2010-04-24.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference EPAMost2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Sperling, Daniel; Deborah Gordon (2009). Two billion cars: driving toward sustainability. Oxford University Press, New York. pp. 235–260. ISBN 978-0-19-537664-7. See Chapter 9: Driving Towards Sustainability
  9. ^ Strategies for Managing Impacts from Automobiles, US EPA Region 10, retrieved May 22, 2012
  10. ^ "European Union's End-of-life Vehicle (ELV) Directive", End of Life Vehicles, EU, retrieved May 22, 2012