10 Car Brands That Are Trailblazers For Clean Energy & 10 That Need to Catch Up
It's More Than Just A Trend
With the effects of climate change being felt all over the world, now is more imperative than ever to move away from fossil fuels and into a world of renewable energy. Classically, car companies were part of the problem, but now, with companies like Tesla holding the torch, they are becoming part of the solution. However, some companies are opting to stubbornly continue in their old-school ways. Here are the ten most forward-thinking car companies when it comes to green energy and ten that are behind the times.
Photo by Austin Hervias on Unsplash
1. Tesla
The definitive trailblazer, everyone knows Tesla for producing the first modern all-electric car in 2008. But the company wasn't kidding around with performance either: the Roadster is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 in 1.9 seconds!
2. Lucid Motors
Lucid Motors is a California car manufacturer founded in 2007. The company developed its first electric car, the Lucid Air, in 2017, which took the world by storm when it outperformed the Tesla Model S.
3. Fisker
SUVs are notoriously bad for the environment, producing 20 percent more carbon emissions than a regular car. That's where Fisker comes in, an electric car company specializing in SUVs. It won Best Full Electric Vehicle at the Automobile Awards in 2023.
4. Nissan
Nissan took a revolutionary step in the EV industry when it released the Nissan Leaf in 2010, an affordable option among a sea of high-pricetag electric vehicles. It became the world's top-selling EV until 2020 when the Tesla Model 3 surpassed it.
5. BYD
BYD is the largest supplier of rechargeable batteries worldwide. The company also make cars, SUVs, and industrial vehicles and has been constantly innovating better sustainable energy solutions since its inception in 1995.
6. Volkswagen
The German car company was founded on the concept of creating a practical and affordable "people's car." They've taken this same concept into their electric vehicle development, offering a budget-friendly, well-designed range of EVs.
7. Hyundai
2024 marks the third year in a row that this company has won EV of the year for its fully-electric, performance powerhouse, the Ioniq 5. The car has one of the quickest charging times out of any EV, a 640-horsepower engine, and sleek design.
8. Mercedez-Benz
Mercedez-Benz is a leader in the car world when it comes to cleaning up its supply chains and was one of the top scorers in Greenpeace's auto ranking. The company also makes very attractive and performance-packed luxury EVs like the EQS.
9. BMW
Renowned for making quality cars and planes since the company was formed in 1916, BMW made its first forray into electric vehicles all the way back in 1972 for the Olympic Games. Since then, the company has created an impressive lineup of premium EVs.
10. NIO
This Chinese EV-focused company was named one of the most sustainable companies on Corporate Knights’ 2024 list. In addition to being smartly-designed, NIOs are also some of the most affordable EVs on the market.
Now that we've gone over some of the heroes of the electric car world, let's talk about the companies that are just a little late to the party.
1. Toyota
It may come as a surprise that the company that invented the Prius is on this side of the list, but Toyota received some of the lowest scores in Greenpeace's auto ranking. Despite manufacturing a number of EVs, the company still sells a massive amount of fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
2. Daimler
It's not quite fair to place a company focused on creating commercial trucks on an equal playing ground with those making recreational vehicles, but we'll do it anyway. The company scored low on Greenpeace's evaluation last year; however, it's important to note they've since been making major strides, releasing fully-electric school buses and heavy-duty trucks.
3. Buick
Buick has certainly been late to the EV party, with not even one on offer. However, the company plans on releasing their first, the Wildcat EV, in 2025, the prototype for which is looking pretty sleek.
4. Aston Martin
This legendary car brand has been a favorite of petrol heads since it was founded, so it's no surprise they were hesitant to make the leap into EVs. They intend to release their first electric car in 2026.
5. Lincoln
Although this American luxury car maker has embraced the hybrid model, they have yet to create their first EV. The company has announced it intends to go fully electric by 2030, but so far, it appears that's just talk.
Original image: Lincoln.
SVG version: Angelus on Wikimedia
6. Bugatti
Bugatti is known for its extravagant and powerful supercars. They just unveiled their first hybrid vehicle and likely won't get around to a fully electric one until 2030.
7. Ferrari
Ferraris are as classic as they get. The company has one hybrid car on offer, the SF90 Stradale, but has announced its intention to be carbon-neutral by 2030 with electric and hybrid making up the majority of its sales by 2026.
8. Infiniti
Infiniti was founded in 1989 as a division of Nissan and while the company has admittedly created some beautiful cars in its 30-plus years, it has yet to come out with an EV. It has however, unveiled some killer all-electric prototypes so we can expect some movement in the coming years.
9. Land Rover
This iconic British car brand began producing rugged adventure vehicles in 1948. Maybe because there aren't a lot of off-road charging stations yet, the company hasn't come out with a fully-electric model, though they have some hybrid ones on offer.
10. Chrysler
This American luxury car company has yet to have a fully-electric model on offer but it has big plans for the future. Chrysler's goal is to have a fully electric lineup by 2028 starting with the Airflow, an EV SUV whose prototype was recently revealed.
