THE ENVIRONMENTALLY DIRTIEST CARS FOR 2014

Unlike the ACEEE’s assortment of most eco-benign models, which were dominated by Japanese automakers (Honda and Toyota alone accounting for seven out of the 12 models cited), the “dirty dozen” vehicles for 2014 all come from domestic and European brands, including the burly Ram 2500 pickup and the Bugatti Veyron supercar.

How mean are they? The ACEEE’s  greenest car for 2014, the tiny two-seat Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, earned a “Green Score” of 59, which is the highest rating for a passenger car ever recorded by the ACEEE. By comparison, the aforementioned Ram 2500 received a rock bottom 18 points.

While the most environmentally friendly new vehicles for 2014 are, as one might expect, an amenable assortment of hybrids, electric cars and fuel-frugal gasoline-powered models, most of us would probably pay heed to the little cartoon devils whispering in our ears and find the assortment of rides at the other end of the eco spectrum to be far more appealing.
The ACEEE determines its Green Score rankings according to combination of factors that take into account a vehicle’s fuel economy and its tailpipe emissions. The latter include health-damaging and smog-forming airborne pollutants like hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, as well as greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. The Green Scores also consider such factors as emissions estimates for a vehicle’s manufacturing process, disposal impact and the sources of energy used to generate power for electric cars.

And even if you’re in the market for a purposeful pickup truck or midlife crisis indulging sporty car, keep in mind that neither necessarily has to be a Mother Nature-defiling gas guzzler. The ACEEE also identifies widely available, and in many cases, more practical and affordable, “greener” choices in a wide range of model categories on its greenercars.org website. The site also includes eco-ratings of more than 1,000 separate vehicle configurations, albeit available only on a subscription basis ($8.95 for 30 days or $19.95 for 12 months). Meanwhile, information on fuel economy and tailpipe emissions ratings for all new (and previous model-year) cars and trucks can also be found at no cost on the Environmental Protection Agency’s.