The truth is Toyota Prius, Greener Car ,Which is greener: a Toyota Prius or a Toyota Corolla? They're both roughly the same size, and when you think quick, it seems that the Prius would be the no-brainer choice for greenies. The Prius, after all, gets an EPA Combined 50 mpg, while the Corolla gets 30 at best.
But if you think a little more about it, the question gets a little more complicated: What about the extra raw materials that go into a hybrid's battery pack? What about its longer assembly process, and its more complex powertrain?
Those all take additional energy, right?
Turns out it's not so relevant over the long haul. From peer-reviewed papers from top-notch environmental and scientific sources, it's been found that extraction of raw materials and assembly of motor vehicles take relatively small amounts of energy next to the energy that a vehicle will use over its lifetime. According to a 2000 report from the MIT Energy Laboratory, about 75 percent of the lifetime carbon emissions come from the fuel it burns, and another 19 percent comes from the production of fuel.
And that's why, in determining our High Gear Media Green Ratings, we give kudos and tiebreaker nudges for special green manufacturing claims, but rate vehicles based on energy use.
