The three-year investigation by Oregon-based CNW Marketing Research measures the environmental impact of cars from the time they’re built until the moment they’re scrapped. The results have revealed the dilemma faced by buyers looking for cars that are kinder to the environment, with supposedly ‘green’ cars finishing well down its final league table.
The new analysis extends from the car’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to the energy used in its design and production, both in car assembly plants and by suppliers of parts and sub-assemblies. Researchers also looked at the energy consumed in transporting the cars to dealers, as well as in maintaining, servicing and scrapping them.
The total amount is called the car’s ‘dust to dust’ energy use.
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According to CNW’s table of 96 cars sold in the UK, the Honda Civic Hybrid finished 73rd and the Toyota Prius 74th, even though they have some of the lowest CO2 emissions of any car and are usually regarded as the most environmentally friendly. Top of the table was the Jeep Wrangler, closely followed by the Toyota Echo – the American version of the Yaris.
via bog-brush