MINI and FIAT emerge as Green NCAP’s new sustainability champions – Tech Digest

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The MINI Cooper E and FIAT 600e have been crowned the most environmentally friendly vehicles in Green NCAP’s new Sustainability Ratings.

Providing a comprehensive “cradle to grave” assessment of a car’s ecological footprint, the new rating system aims to give consumers a clear, holistic view of a vehicle’s true environmental impact throughout its entire lifespan.

Both models achieved a top five-star rating, with the MINI Cooper E scoring an impressive 97% and the FIAT 600e close behind with 96%.

Their success is attributed to their modestly sized batteries—40.7 kWh for the MINI and 54 kWh for the FIAT. This deliberate design choice reduces emissions during the manufacturing process and keeps the vehicles’ weight to a minimum, which in turn boosts driving efficiency and places less strain on components such as tyres and brakes.

The new ratings are calculated using a rigorous Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) which factors in a vehicle’s environmental impact from the extraction of raw materials to its final recycling and disposal. The analysis assumes a vehicle lifetime of 16 years and an estimated mileage of 240,000 km.

It also incorporates real-world data, including a car’s efficiency in warm and cold weather, and a new “Driving Experience” assessment for electric vehicles that evaluates charging characteristics and cabin heating efficiency.

“Green NCAP is addressing [the issue] by providing the most comprehensive and updated overview of a car’s carbon footprint,” says Dr. Aleksandar Damyanov, Green NCAP’s Technical Manager. He noted that the new ratings show “how emissions, performance, and suitability can vary according to where and how it is made, just as much as the driving conditions.”

While the small electric cars set a high bar, the results highlighted a stark contrast for larger vehicles. The Kia EV9, a heavy seven-seat electric SUV, only achieved a three-star rating with a 56% score. Its mass has a detrimental effect on the energy required for production and its efficiency during driving.

This new rating system, much like its safety counterpart, empowers consumers to make informed choices that drive the automotive industry toward greater sustainability.

Green NCAP’s Life Cycle Assessment Interactive Tool.

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