Electric cars vs diesel and hybrid vehicles: which ones pollute the least?

The Tesla Model Y earns five stars out of five in Green NCAP’s Sustainability Rating, scoring 93%. It is one of the highest results ever achieved by an electric SUV in this independent environmental assessment, which measures how sustainable a vehicle is throughout its entire life cycle: from raw material extraction and production to use on the road.

For the first time, Tesla also shared verified data on the model’s production with Green NCAP, allowing for a more accurate calculation of its carbon footprint. The result? 95 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilometer. But there are models that perform even better: the BYD Dolphin Surf achieves 96%.

How it earned five stars

The model that was tested is the Model Y 62.6 kWh RWD, which has rear-wheel drive and a single motor. It weighs 1.9 tons, so it’s not a lightweight vehicle, yet it still achieved a perfect score of 10/10 in the Greenhouse Gases category. Its carbon footprint over the entire life cycle is just 95 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilometer, a figure Green NCAP considers among the best ever measured.

In road tests, the cabin warmed up quickly even in cold temperatures thanks to the heat pump and good thermal insulation: half an hour after turning off the engine at −7°C, internal heat loss was minimal.

Tesla Model Y

Photo by: wheelsage

DC fast charging, the type used at highway chargers, enabled the battery to go from 10% to 80% in 24 minutes. Two-way charging (V2L/V2G), which would allow powering external devices or the electrical grid, is still missing.

The other models evaluated

In the electric utility vehicle category, the BYD Dolphin Surf with a 43 kWh battery achieved a score of 96%, or five stars, thanks to its low weight and reduced energy consumption: it can charge from 10% to 80% in 33 minutes and comes standard with V2L functionality.

Range remains a limitation for certain uses due to the size of the vehicle and battery, and heating in the rear compartment could be improved. Produced in China, it was evaluated using general rather than specific data, resulting in a relatively cautious starting score.

BYD Dolphin Surf

Photo by: Motor1 Italia

The 60 kWh Suzuki Vitara receives a score of 4.5 stars (87%), affected by its 1.8-ton weight and average production figures from the Indian plant. Testers noted inaccuracies in the dashboard display, which Suzuki corrected through a service campaign, as well as slow cabin heating and underwhelming fast charging: 44 minutes to go from 10% to 80%.

Suzuki Vitara

Photo by: Suzuki

In terms of internal combustion engines, the Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI achieves the highest score ever recorded for a gasoline car in Green NCAP tests, with 69%: just below the 70% threshold required for four stars.

The same score applies to its related models, the Audi A3, Seat Leon, and Skoda Octavia. The Volkswagen Tayron 1.5 eTSI DSG, a slightly lighter gasoline hybrid SUV than the Model Y, only earns 2.5 stars (41%): it emits 263 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilometer over its entire lifetime, nearly three times the figure for the Model Y.

"Tesla deserves praise for its transparent sharing of data on the production of the Model Y and its battery," said Aleksandar Damyanov, technical director at Green NCAP. According to Damyanov, shifting from general estimates to data verified by the manufacturer makes evaluations more accurate and rewards those who have invested in truly reducing the climate impact of their products.

The Model Y has already received awards in safety tests conducted by other independent organizations, as has the Model 3, while other electric SUVs such as the Audi Q4 e-tron have already achieved full marks in Green NCAP’s environmental assessments.

Cars: Emission rankings favor electric vehicles

Model

Powertrain

Score

Stars

BYD Dolphin Surf 43 kWh

Electric

96%

5

Tesla Model Y RWD 62.6 kWh

Electric

93%

5

Suzuki e Vitara 60 kWh

Electric

87%

4.5

Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI

Diesel

69%

Under 4

Audi A3

Diesel

69%

Under 4

Seat Leon

Diesel

69%

Under 4

Skoda Octavia

Diesel

69%

Under 4

Volkswagen Tayron 1.5 eTSI DSG

Petrol hybrid

41%

2.5

Note: The scores are as reported in the article. For the Golf and related models, 69% is below the 70% threshold required to earn four stars.

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