The prestigious German automobile club, the ADAC, has presented its annual report on the greenest cars on the market in 2021. And the result is very surprising.
112 models tested during the year 2021: that is the basis of the new report published by the ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club) that determines the most environmentally friendly cars among all those launched on the market in that period.
It includes all kinds of carsthose powered by a combustion engine that use fossil fuels and gas, but also those that are electrified of different types: electric, plug-in hybrids, etc..
The main conclusions of the report are that natural gas vehicles and electric cars are the cleanestwhile fossil fuel cars and large SUVs are the most polluting.
ADAC Ecotest
What is not so predictable is the result obtained by certain specific models, an evaluation carried out through the well-known ADAC Ecotest, which determines a maximum score of 5 stars and takes into account two main parameters:
- Toxins harmful to humans (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, particulates).
- The greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO₂), harmful to the environment.
As part of the test, it should be noted that the emissions from the origin of the fuel source to the use of the vehicleso that electrified vehicles are comparable to those with a thermal engine.
Furthermore, vehicles with particularly good results on the test bench should confirm their values on the road. To do this, the ADAC uses a PEMS device (Portable Emission Measurement System).
Attached to the exhaust, measure the polluting and CO₂ emissions while driving. So really only cars that are clean in everyday life get a higher rating in the Ecotest. Additional random checks are carried out among the other vehicles in the test.
You can learn more about the Ecotest procedure in this link.
The results
Already focused on the results of the ADAC Ecotest 2021, the truth is that the following data stand out:
- Natural gas cars are the most environmentally friendly.
- Electric cars depend a lot on the origin of electricity.
- No fossil fuel powered vehicle gets 5 stars.
Indeed, the natural gas cars they happen to be the most respectful with the environment, being known for their low emission of CO₂ and polluting particles.
Even so, it is surprising that electric cars are not the absolute dominators of the ranking, considering that they are zero-emission vehicles during use.
However, the origin of electricity they consume is the key to their true effectiveness in respecting the environment. And that is something in which there is still a long way to go, since renewable energies are not yet predominant in the energy sector.
The most environmentally friendly cars
Having said all this, it is time to reveal the most ecological vehicles according to the ADAC Ecotest. They are the following:
The least polluting cars of 2021
For its part, the most polluting cars of all those included in the ADAC test have been the following:
The 10 most polluting cars of 2021
And you, what do you think of these results? Do not hesitate to tell us your impressions.