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5 Hybrid Cars That Will Save Money and the Environment

March 25, 2024

2 min Read

Written by David Nadelle

Edited by Nicholas Morine

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With more and more people looking for ways to minimize their impact on the planet, the auto industry has embraced the movement of producing vehicles that pollute the environment less than others and work more efficiently.

The concept of eco-friendly cars includes cars running on alternative fuels and those still running on gasoline. Each year, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranks the most eco-friendly new cars on the market.

“In addition to assessing the emissions from fuel burned in a vehicle’s engine, we assess the upstream emissions generated by electricity used by a vehicle, emissions produced when mining and processing minerals for batteries, and emissions from manufacturing vehicles and vehicle components,” said the ACEEE.

The Most Environmentally Friendly Cars May Surprise You

For 2024, the 12 most fuel efficient, environmentally friendly cars include seven electric vehicles (EVs), two plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) and three gas hybrids. The greenest choice for 2024 is a PHEV, the Toyota Prius Prime SE.

In addition to the Greenest List, GreenerCars provides a ranking of models that didn’t crack the top 12, but are still “Greener Choices.” Among these are Honda Accord, Kia Niro FE, Mitsubishi Mirage, and two Lexus models — the ES 300h and the NX 350h.

Additionally, there’s a “Meanest List” too, which includes mostly gas-powered cars (with the exception of the GMC Hummer EV SUV). The top five offenders in the U.S. light-duty vehicle market are “inefficient gas guzzlers” like the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63, Ram 1500 TRX 4×4, Ford F-150 Raptor R, Cadillac Escalade V and Dodge Durango SRT.

Today's Top Offers

If you’re looking for new eco-friendly cars that will save you money, here are the best choices, according to the ACEEE.