In a market with many fully electric vehicles, you would expect a list of the 12 greenest cars on the market to be dominated by EVs, and the list by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) meets that expectation. But the big surprise, and what Valley Hi Toyota is excited to inform you about, is that the number one model on the list is the Toyota Prius Prime SE.
ACEEE is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to developing transformative policies to reduce energy waste and combat climate change. ACEEE created the list to recognize the 12 vehicles it found through its research that best facilitate its goals. Vehicles were rated both on a Green Score and Estimated Annual Fuel Costs. To calculate the Green Score, ACEEE evaluated over 1,200 2024 model-year vehicles based on their cost to human health from air pollution associated with:
- Vehicle manufacturing and disposal
- Production and distribution of fuel or electricity they consume
- Vehicle tailpipe emissions.
Among all the models evaluated, the Toyota Prius Prime SE stood out with the highest Green Score of 71. But that’s not all. It also is rated with the lowest estimated annual fuel cost of just $529, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data on gasoline, electricity, or a combination thereof. This cost-effectiveness makes the Prius Prime SE a smart financial choice for environmentally conscious car buyers.
The Prius Prime SE can be plugged in for 11 hours overnight on a standard household plug or four hours on a Level 2 charger, which will provide an EPA-estimated 45 miles of EV-only driving. This is enough to cover most, if not all, of most people’s commute or daily driving needs. When the gas engine is engaged, it will deliver an estimated 52 combined mpg and can have 600 miles of total range. Its overall MPGe rating is 127.
ACEEE does not mention that the 2024 Prius Prime is also one of the most stylish cars on the road and offers a combined 220 horsepower. When using both its engine and electric motors, the Prime reaches 0-60 in just 6.7 seconds, as measured by Car and Driver. The base MSRP for the Prius Prime is $32,975.
It is worth noting that out of the ACEEE list of the 12 Greenest cars, five are Toyota models. After the Prius Prime, the next four models in the ranking are indeed EVs, including the Toyota bZ4X. The next model, ranking in the 6th position, is the RAV4 Prime. In the 9th position is the Camry Hybrid LE, and in the 11th is the Corolla Hybrid.
The ACEEE also published a list of the 12 Meanest mass-market automobiles, none of which is a Toyota. While the list includes high-performance luxury cars, there are some Toyota competitors.
There are many areas to consider when purchasing a new car, and fuel efficiency can be chief among them. Because fuel efficiency indicates low environmental impact, it is all the better. Take a look at the Impressive Prius Prime and the many highly desirable green and efficient Toyota models at Valley Hi Toyota.
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