Photo: Volkswagen
Green NCAP is an organization that measures European vehicles' environmental performance based on several criteria. It just released new ratings for six cars. Among other results, Green NCAP found out that the Volkswagen T-Roc, Nissan Ariya, and Renault Austral have set an example of technological progress that benefits both consumers and the environment.
Green NCAP assessed the following vehicles in the latest tests: the new Nissan Ariya and Renault Austral, the Volvo XC40, the Ford Fiesta, the Volkswagen T-Roc, and the new Hyundai Staria. Before telling you a bit about each, let me shortly explain the three indexes on which the results are based: Clean Air, Energy Efficiency, and Greenhouse Gas.
Clean Air refers to a vehicle's performance in mitigating pollutant emissions like gases and particulate matter emitted from the tailpipe. Energy Efficiency shows a score for the amount of energy needed to operate the vehicle – the higher the demand, the more disadvantage for energy resources and customers' wallets. And lastly, the Greenhouse Gas index takes a well-to-wheel approach – that means that besides considering the gas emissions emitted during the vehicle's operation, it also includes those resulting from the processes related to supplying the energy.
The Average Score is the average of the three indexes expressed as a percentage. Furthermore, Green NCAP awards each vehicle with a star rating, five stars being the maximum.
Among all the cars tested, Nissan Ariya stands out via its high charging efficiency. The two-tonne SUV boasts a 500-km (310 miles) WLTP range, although that number drops to 300 km (186 miles) in cold weather conditions, specifically –7 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit). Moreover, the vehicle showed a grid-to-battery-output efficiency of 91.6%, the highest Green NCAP has measured so far.
Next up, Renault's Austral E-Tech Hybrid 200 was another model Green NCAP tested. The results demonstrated that the 400 V hybrid system increased energy efficiency and reduced consumption in urban and rural conditions. The good fuel consumption figures earned the Austral a 3 Green Star rating, with an average score of 52%.
Volkswagen's compact SUV T-Roc is fitted with the latest 1.5-liter direct injection turbocharged petrol engine. Even though it's a petrol car, which significantly limits performance in the Greenhouse Gas and Clean Air index, the T-Roc obtained 7.7 points out of 10 – that's the best score an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car has gotten. Due to rather high fuel consumption, the T-Roc ended up getting a 2.5 Green Star rating with an Average Score of 49%.
The Volvo XC40 obtained a relatively similar rating. The 48 V mild-hybrid vehicle is equipped with a 2-liter direct injection turbocharged petrol engine, which emits significant greenhouse gases, resulting in a 2.3-point score (out of ten) in the Greenhouse Gas index. Regarding Energy Efficiency, the SUV got a 4 out of 10 points. Lastly, the XC40 received 2.5 Green Stars and an average score of 41%.
Green NCAP also tested the Ford Fiesta, which Ford announced would no longer produce starting from June this year. The organization examined the ST-Line Vignale with a 1.0-liter petrol engine, a 7-speed automatic transmission, and 48 V mild hybridization. All in all, it performed well, but the mediocre results in the Clean Air part of the testing resulted in obtaining 2.5 Green Stars and an Average Score of 42%.
The vehicle with the lowest rating out of these six models was the Hyundai Staria, a large 7-seater van with a 2.5-tonne mass. Due to its immense weight and size, as well as its 2.2-liter engine, the van obtained poor results in the Greenhouse Gas and Energy efficiency indexes. The Staria received only 1 Green Star and an Average Score of 19%.
Clean Air refers to a vehicle's performance in mitigating pollutant emissions like gases and particulate matter emitted from the tailpipe. Energy Efficiency shows a score for the amount of energy needed to operate the vehicle – the higher the demand, the more disadvantage for energy resources and customers' wallets. And lastly, the Greenhouse Gas index takes a well-to-wheel approach – that means that besides considering the gas emissions emitted during the vehicle's operation, it also includes those resulting from the processes related to supplying the energy.
The Average Score is the average of the three indexes expressed as a percentage. Furthermore, Green NCAP awards each vehicle with a star rating, five stars being the maximum.
Among all the cars tested, Nissan Ariya stands out via its high charging efficiency. The two-tonne SUV boasts a 500-km (310 miles) WLTP range, although that number drops to 300 km (186 miles) in cold weather conditions, specifically –7 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit). Moreover, the vehicle showed a grid-to-battery-output efficiency of 91.6%, the highest Green NCAP has measured so far.
Next up, Renault's Austral E-Tech Hybrid 200 was another model Green NCAP tested. The results demonstrated that the 400 V hybrid system increased energy efficiency and reduced consumption in urban and rural conditions. The good fuel consumption figures earned the Austral a 3 Green Star rating, with an average score of 52%.
Volkswagen's compact SUV T-Roc is fitted with the latest 1.5-liter direct injection turbocharged petrol engine. Even though it's a petrol car, which significantly limits performance in the Greenhouse Gas and Clean Air index, the T-Roc obtained 7.7 points out of 10 – that's the best score an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car has gotten. Due to rather high fuel consumption, the T-Roc ended up getting a 2.5 Green Star rating with an Average Score of 49%.
The Volvo XC40 obtained a relatively similar rating. The 48 V mild-hybrid vehicle is equipped with a 2-liter direct injection turbocharged petrol engine, which emits significant greenhouse gases, resulting in a 2.3-point score (out of ten) in the Greenhouse Gas index. Regarding Energy Efficiency, the SUV got a 4 out of 10 points. Lastly, the XC40 received 2.5 Green Stars and an average score of 41%.
Green NCAP also tested the Ford Fiesta, which Ford announced would no longer produce starting from June this year. The organization examined the ST-Line Vignale with a 1.0-liter petrol engine, a 7-speed automatic transmission, and 48 V mild hybridization. All in all, it performed well, but the mediocre results in the Clean Air part of the testing resulted in obtaining 2.5 Green Stars and an Average Score of 42%.
The vehicle with the lowest rating out of these six models was the Hyundai Staria, a large 7-seater van with a 2.5-tonne mass. Due to its immense weight and size, as well as its 2.2-liter engine, the van obtained poor results in the Greenhouse Gas and Energy efficiency indexes. The Staria received only 1 Green Star and an Average Score of 19%.
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