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What is the GREENEST car out there? - READ ONLY

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#1 of 116 What is the GREENEST car out there? by calidave

Nov 18, 2005 (4:02 pm)

Many people tout the Prius as the greenest machine, while others belive the diesels are the way to go. But most of these arguments focus only on mpg. (see Guiltless Gas Sippers: 10 Cars That Deliver the Most Fun Per Gallon http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=107241) (see also all the threads in the Hybrid discussion area of this site.)
 
What about emissions? What about recycled content? Recyclability? Longevity?
 
And how does safety fit in to the green analysis? The Volvos may not have best mpg, but they seem to have great safety, for example.
And Ford seems to be giving more than just lip service to its sustainability ideas.
 
What is the most important element to you in choosing a green vehicle?

#2 of 116 Civic CNG is the lowest emissions.... by larsb

Nov 18, 2005 (4:10 pm)

The Honda Civic GX has been rated by the EPA as the cleanest mass-produced internal combustion engine in the world.
 
If driven from LA to DC, the car emits less pollution than spilling a
 
TEASPOON OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND.
 
"Driven from California to Washington, D.C., the Honda Civic GX natural-gas vehicle would emit fewer reactive hydrocarbons than what would be released by spilling a single teaspoon of gasoline."
 
I can't see how any car can beat out the GX in that regard.

#3 of 116 Green is in the eye of the beholder. by gagrice

Nov 18, 2005 (4:42 pm)

I like the new Gecko Green VW Beetle. That may be the greenest car I opt for....
 
Actually this is a subject that has gotten hashed out pretty well in the past. Some of us contend that the pollution in manufacturing is more of a long term detriment than what comes out of the tailpipe. Others feel what is spewed in another country does not invade my nose, so it is no big deal.

#4 of 116 MB 300TD by gagrice

Nov 18, 2005 (6:30 pm)

My vote would go for the early 1980s Mercedes 300 turbo diesel running on B100 biodiesel. It is GHG neutral. Not too bad on emissions. It has outlasted 3 average cars that are now part of the scrap heap. If the pollution to manufacture is about equal for all cars. The 25 year old MB will be one third the pollution of the 3 or more cars it replaced.
 
Along that same line. I just found a law in the EPA website pertaining to imported cars. You can bring any 21 year or older car into the US without getting nailed by all the EPA regulations. There are probably a lot of well maintained low mileage Mercedes diesels in Europe that would be great to bring over and run on biodiesel.

#5 of 116 Re: MB 300TD [gagrice] by falconone

Nov 18, 2005 (7:39 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Nov 18, 2005 6:30 pm)
While not the greenest, it is the most hardy. Try closing the door on one of those cars. Feels like you closed the door on a vault. Now close the door on a 2005 Mercedes. Doesn't feel the same!! Two of my close friends have mid 80's 300Ds and they run forever. On bio, I guess they'd be green. On the muck we have here in NY... NOT.

#6 of 116 trucks by calidave

Nov 21, 2005 (10:54 am)

Yes, I've often thought that a car that lasts 200,000 miles is at least twice as green as a car that only lasts 100,000 miles.
 
Of course, if the 100,000 mile car is highly recyclable, and if emissions are lower, etc. then it is much more complicated.
 
Hasn't anyone done a "life cycle analysis" on cars (including manufacturing) and given us a report?
 
(gagrice: I assume this has been hashed out all over the place in this forum, but I didn't see one place where all the issues were discussed. Often this topic is Off-Topic in those other forums, so it gets shut down.)
 
I think the GMC truck hybrids are going to make a good case for being the most enviro vehicles out there. Not many vehicles can seat 7 and get 25 mpg (more?). And the ones with the power outlets will further reduce emissions because the truck is cleaner than the portable Honda generators.

#7 of 116 The Citrus Insight by midnightcowboy

Nov 21, 2005 (12:52 pm)

It was the only double-green car.

#8 of 116 Re: The Citrus Insight [midnightcowboy] by falconone

Nov 21, 2005 (3:22 pm)

Replying to: midnightcowboy (Nov 21, 2005 12:52 pm)
Yeah... and it had the lemon yellow interior!!
 
 

#9 of 116 Odd-ball Nomination by ateixeira

Nov 22, 2005 (7:12 pm)

I'll nominate...drum roll please....
 
The Subaru Outback PZEV.
 
Huh?
 
Why?
 
Simple, it's the most powerful PZEV sold in this country, and it's room enough, practical enough, and with AWD, a good enough substitute for gross-polluting SUVs that it could potentially replace.
 
Sure, a Prius can replace...a Corolla! Wow, what an "improvement".
 
A CNG Civic can replace a regular Civic. Again, whoopee!
 
A PZEV Outback is a reasonable replacement for a Tahoe, at least one without a 3rd row. Or an Explorer. Or a TrailBlazer. Get a benemoth that guzzles gas and pollutes like crazy off the road and replace it with something that produces an output cleaner than most ambient air, and uses half the fuel in the process.
 
So, because it potentially provides the biggest improvement from the trucks that could be traded in for it, it gets my vote.
 
-juice

#10 of 116 Re: Odd-ball Nomination [ateixeira] by rorr

Nov 23, 2005 (7:25 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Nov 22, 2005 7:12 pm)
Gotta agree with you on that one, juice....
 
....that IS an odd-ball nomination.
 
BTW - in my opinion, whereas the Prius could be considered a direct replacement for a Corolla, in no way would an Outback be considered a direct replacement for a Tahoe.
 
For one thing, a Tahoe has SUBSTANTIALLY better towing capability.
 
If you want to say the PZEV Outback is a reasonable replacement for a Tahoe, then I would put it to you that a Prius is a 'reasonable' replacement for a Chevy Malibu.

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