3 Best Eco-Friendly Cars on the Road

These days, with global warming only being denied by right-wing nut-jobs and folks with tinfoil hats , it seems like everyone is worried about the environmental footprint of what they drive. And even though gas prices are down, this phenomenon looks poised to continue.

Let’s take a look at the best eco-friendly cars on the road today, and whether you should own them.

Tesla Model D

We might as well start with the best.

Starting at just $87,000, the Tesla Model D features a fully electric engine that can accelerate up to 100 km/h in less than six seconds, a battery with almost 400 km in range, 329 horsepower, and a guarantee that owners can use the company’s supercharger network for free for as long as they own the car. And if you live in Ontario and B.C., you’ll qualify for some nice tax credits upon purchase.

But perhaps Teslas aren’t so environmentally friendly. If you look at the composition of the battery, it takes an enormous amount of energy to make all the components that go into it. Additionally, many Canadians would be recharging the engine with energy generated from coal-fired power plants, which is a pretty dirty energy source.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is the eco-friendly car for the everyday man, starting at less than $32,000.

It’s a much better deal than the Tesla, assuming you’re okay with less performance. It has 107 horsepower, Bluetooth, heated seats, push-button start, and a design that features five seats. The only real downfall is the range; the basic model lets you go just 120 kilometers on one charge. It’s good enough for your daily commute, but likely would be a little annoying for a weekend road trip.

Chevy Cruze

Even though the Chevy Cruze might not look to be the most environmentally friendly vehicle, I think it’s a terrific choice.

Firstly, there’s the gas mileage. To go 100 km on the highway, General Motors claims the car will only use 5.6 liters of fuel. It runs diesel, which is a little more expensive than gas, but you can’t argue with that kind of efficiency. To put it in perspective, the Cruze outperforms many of the hybrids currently on the market.

And then there’s the price. The Cruze starts at just $16,000, which includes a manual transmission, CD/MP3 player, air conditioning, cruise, and all that usual stuff. Sure, it’s a basic car, but for less than $20,000 for a fully-loaded model, it’s tough to argue with the combination of price and fuel economy. Plus, your car insurance premiums will be less expensive, since it’s a cheaper car to begin with.

Which should you choose?

I’ll be honest. I think people reading this should forget about which is the most eco-friendly model and just choose something they like. If you’re buying a new car, it’s going to have pretty good gas mileage. Even pickup trucks aren’t the gas guzzlers they used to be.

The Tesla is obviously the best electric car on the road, but that will change. Most of the major manufacturers will join Nissan and offer fully electric models in just a couple of years. It’s silly to pay the big bucks for the market leader now, especially since technology in the space is changing so fast.

But currently, the range on these cars isn’t great, and they’re much more expensive than a comparable gas model. Which is why I’d choose one of the small cars on the market today with great gas mileage over an electric car. It just makes more sense.

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