The zero-emissions, battery-powered LEAF has been named the cleanest production vehicle in the United States by Automotive Science Group (ASG). Before coming to this result, the research firm studied over 1,300 four-seat automobiles, measuring the impact of each on the environment from wells-to-wheels, a term that means they took into account the production and distribution of fuel for every vehicle when looking at emissions.
The organization's researchers also measured everything from the energy used extracting resources when first building a car to the amount of fuel needed to run a vehicle throughout its lifetime. This method of assessment is incredibly complex, but ASG took the time to do it, and we must say it's no surprise to us that the 2014 Nissan LEAF turned out to be the greenest car available in the U.S.
"Based on the principles of ecological economics, we have developed a comparative automotive assessment that recognizes corporate social responsibility efforts that ultimately lead to the best end-products for the market," said Managing Director of the Automotive Science Group, Colby Self.
The LEAF, which delivers an EPA-estimated 84-mile driving range, is not only the best-selling electric car in America. Recent sales figures also show that it is the best selling all-electric vehicle in the world. And this study highlights one of the primary reasons why it has won over so many shoppers, especially those who care just as much about saving money at the pump as they do about creating a better, more environmentally sound world for future generations.