Looking for a greener vehicle to celebrate the 50th Earth Day? Check out the lists below.
Amidst all the doom and gloom dominating everyone’s daily lives, comes another reason to remember that that better days are ahead: Earth Day!
That’s right. Today is the day we celebrate Mother Earth and while it may not seem like there is much to be happy about, there is plenty of evidence that folks are still working hard to make the world a better place.
And within the automotive industry, there is certainly a strong charge to try to make less of an impact through the dramatic increases of electric and hybrid vehicles moving into production.
(Looking for a BEV? Here’s what’s available right now.)
Fortunately, KBB.com has assembled several lists to help new vehicle buyers select a “green” offering designed to lower one’s carbon footprint, or whatever measure a person wants to apply that says: I’m buying new vehicle that I think will help the planet the best.
“With each new model year, the number of available hybrid and electric vehicles continues to grow,” said Michael Harley, executive editor for Kelley Blue Book. “Regardless of your lifestyle, there are a variety of vehicles to choose from in SUVs, hatchbacks, and sedans, and even at a more budget-conscious price if you’re shopping used.”
To celebrate Earth Day, KBB offers three lists that might be most appropriate for anyone looking for a vehicle today, starting with the 10 Best Used Electric and Hybrid Vehicles under $20,000:
- 2018 Toyota Prius/52 mpg combined (54 city/50 highway)/588 miles
- 2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid/40 mpg combined (42 city/38 highway)/680 miles
- 2018 Hyundai Ioniq Blue/58 mpg combined (57 city/59 highway)/690 miles
- 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid/48 mpg combined (49 city/47 highway)/758 miles
- 2019 Kia Optima Hybrid/41 mpg combined (39 city/45 highway)/652 miles
- 2017 Nissan Leaf/112 MPGe combined (124 city/101 highway)/107 miles
- 2015 Lexus ES 300h/40 mpg combined (39 city/40 highway)/688 miles
- 2016 Toyota Prius V/41 mpg combined (43 city/39 highway)/488 miles
- 2018 Chevrolet Volt/First 53 miles: 106 MPGe combined; Next 367 miles: 42 mpg combined/420 miles
- 2017 Kia Niro/50 mpg combined (52 city/49 highway)/595 miles
(Kia planning 11 all-electric models by 2025.)
“One of the most underrated deals is to buy a used hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric vehicle – many of these are sold as ‘manufacturer certified’ with extended warranties. With a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Some of the most recent models deliver enough all-electric range that you can commute every day and never have to fill the gas tank.”
Kelley Blue Book also offered up its list of best plug-in hybrids for under $40,000:
- 2020 Honda Clarity/$33,400/42 mpg combined
- 2020 Chrysler Pacifica/$39,995/30 mpg combined
- 2020 Hyundai Ioniq/$26,500/52 mpg combined
- 2020 Kia Optima/$36,090/41 mpg combined
- 2020 Ford Fusion Energi/$35,000/42 mpg combined
- 2020 Kia Niro/$29,490/46 mpg combined
- 2020 Toyota Prius Prime/$27,750/54 mpg combined
- 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander/$36,295/25 mpg combined
- 2020 Mini SE Countryman ALL4/$38,750/29 mpg combined
- 2020 Subaru Crosstrek/$35,145/35 mpg combined
In addition to the other two lists, KBB.com also offered its list of 10 longest-range EVs for 2020. Unsurprisingly, the first four on the list were Teslas, including the Model S at 373 miles, Model 3 (330 miles), Model X (328 miles) and the new Model Y, which is rated at 315 miles.
(GM outlines EV plan to cover every brand, product segment and price range.)
The rest of the list was rounded out by the Chevy Bolt (259), Hyundai Kona (258), Kia Niro (239), Jaguar I-Pace (234), Nissan Leaf Plus (226) and the newly introduced Porsche Taycan at 201 miles, but has been reported to perform much better than that.