CNN: "Greenest" and "Meanest" cars (as ranked by ACEEE)

[eppur_se_muova]

illegal codeCNN_openPopup('/interactive/tech/0607/gallery.greenest.meanest/frameset.exclude.html', '770x567','toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=no, width=770,height=567')

Top-ranked is Honda's Insight and Civic GX (tie); Prius is only 3rd.

Worst is the Dodge Ram SRT10 sports truck -- 10-cylinder, 8.3-liter engine -- city 9 mpg, 12 mpg highway. This actually scores worse than the Lamborghini Murcielago, a car that can do >205 mph.

Not sure how to fix the link -- it's on CNN's home page, far right, about halfway down. http://www.cnn.com

[lindisfarne]

1. Link here to original report

http://www.greenercars.com/bestof.html

I also found the following at their FAQs
Diesel-powered vehicles are highly efficient. Why don't I see them in your "Greenest Vehicles" list?

It is still an open question whether diesel engines can be made clean enough at a competitive price to extensively exploit their efficiency advantage in the U.S. market. Most of today's diesels, such as Volkswagen's Jetta TDI (turbocharged direct-injection), score "Inferior" in Green Book ratings even though they are more fuel-efficient than their gasoline counterparts. The Jetta 1.9-liter TDI diesel automatic rates 35 MPG in the city and 42 MPG on the highway, for an overall average of 38 MPG. That's about 35 percent better than the 28 MPG average for the Jetta with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine. But the diesel version is certified to a standard that allows it to emit, for every mile driven, more than eight times the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emitted by the gasoline-powered Jetta, which now qualifies as a Tier 2 bin 5 vehicle in the majority of the country.

Automakers are working to clean up the diesel vehicle. For example, Ford is developing a version of the Focus sedan that uses advanced control technologies targeted to meet California's ULEV II standards. It has equipped its laboratory test car with a special NOx clean-up device in which a solution of urea in water is sprayed on the catalyst to selectively reduce NOx from the exhaust stream. The vehicle also has a catalytic, soot-trapping filter to remove fine particles. Widespread use of such systems is still some years away, particularly if a new chemical such as urea needs to be widely distributed along with ultra-clean diesel fuel. Engineers at Ford and other companies trying to slash diesel emissions are making up for lost time, since today's gasoline engines benefit from over three decades of experience with ever-tighter pollution standards.

[mopinko]

3. jeep/daimler introducing "world's cleanest diesel"

Chrysler Group will announce the first diesel-powered, full-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) to be offered in the United States. The 2007 Jeep(R) Grand Cherokee with a 3.0- liter common rail turbo diesel (CRD) engine will arrive at Jeep dealerships in the first quarter of 2007.

http://www.dieselforum.org/newsarticle/article/485/56/

this is supposed to be the "cleanest diesel": yada yada. i am told it is coming out at the end of august.
strangely, they are discontinuing the diesel liberty, which is an extremely popular vehicle.

[lindisfarne]

7. "Cleanest diesel" doesn't say much, given how unclean diesel engines

are! But if it can meet SULEV standards, I will be a believer.

[midnight armadillo]

5. DC is trying to get approval now

DaimlerChrysler wants EPA approval for their 'fifty-state diesel' which uses urea injection in the exhaust for Mercedes-Benz diesels.

MB claims the system runs for something like 50k miles before its cartridge needs replacing, and argues that it can be handled as a routine maintenance item thru dealerships, not as a special additional fluid needing wide distribution.

Sounds good to me.

[XemaSab]

2. The CNN link doesn't work;

but the link in the first post does.

These cars are ranked by emissions, not MPG. MPG is given in the chart and the Prius would be first on city and second on highway MPG.

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. oooh the Corolla is #5 green

That's what I want as my next car. Currently driving an 01 Alero V6 gets 22mpg. Want the Corolla!

[NNadir]

6. Here's a link to the top ten that works.

http://www.newdream.org/consumer/aceee.html

http://www.newdream.org/consumer/aceee.html