Greenest car ratings worldwide in MY 2023
The world’s most environmentally friendly cars
Although the automotive industry has often proved its resilience, the year 2015 was a year of reality check for the entire sector. Car recalls due to rigged engines or faulty products, including brakes and airbags, came as a shock to carmakers, suppliers and customers alike. In a UK government-sponsored study, the real driving emissions of 93 vehicles exceeded the regulations laid down by the European Union and the United States, and the manipulation of emission data is not likely confined to Volkswagen. In addition to these woes, policymakers around the world are demanding that the vehicles produced by OEMs become more environmentally friendly. Based on an index score, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and Mini Cooper SE are tied in first place as the greenest car worldwide. Other top green cars include the Toyota Pius Prime and the BMW i3S.
A slow shift to electric vehicles
The diesel scandal goes on to show the limited extent to which engineers can improve the performance of internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines. The demise of internal combustion engines could herald the rise of the electric vehicle, although it remains debatable if batteries and electricity are a clean alternative to the petroleum-based fuels used to power conventional cars. Between 2016 and 2022, the number of battery-electric vehicles on the road increased from some 230,000 units to approximately 18 million vehicles. Notwithstanding the growing popularity of electric vehicles, cars powered by internal combustion engines are not to be written off just yet.
Looking at the way the industry has been evolving over the last years, one has but to note that with change comes opportunity. The switch from conventional to electric vehicles will result in major chances and risks for suppliers, as fuel-efficient cars are set to become lighter and, at the same time, more expensive: It is estimated that there are about 11,000 parts in electric vehicles, compared to around 30,000 in gasoline-fuelled automobiles; furthermore, the cost of parts in environmentally friendlier cars is expected to increase by more than 2,500 U.S. dollars per vehicle because suppliers would have to invest in expensive materials, including carbon fiber reinforced plastic, high-tensile steel, aluminum and aluminum alloys.