by There has been a global movement over the last decade to start reducing the amount of carbon being emitted from cars. Your carbon footprint has become a global concern, with emphasis being put on it every time you travel. In a previous article, we looked at how lead has been removed from fuel in an effort to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air. So we decided to expose the cars that do the most damage to the environment.
Read More about the evolution to non-lead fuel below
An average passenger vehicle will emit 4.7 metric tons (4 263) of carbon dioxide per year. 8.9 litres of fuel should also get to around 100kms. Many smaller cars like the Fiat 500 have dipped to around 6 litres per kilometre. The Nissan Leaf, as an example, produces only 20% of the average car, emitting 0.0628kg of carbon for every kilometre.
In this list, we are not including the lesser seen on the road, like the supercars and muscle cars. It is not often that you see a Bugatti Veyron tearing up the elevated highway into Cape Town. Nor does every second neighbour have a Dodge Viper parked in his garage. So, that list aside, we had a look at the more common cars that we see, and might own that pollute our planet.
Range Rover Sport
This is somewhat unsurprising. This car is marketed more toward the fans of racing up and down the dunes in Atlantis, than the couple who have taken themselves off the Eskom grid. The car produces 300grams per km. That is 30kgs every 100kms and annually an average of 6 500kgs.
Volkswagen Toureg
Volkswagen has been known for being the people’s car. The Toureg however, does dominate the fuel rankings. At a colossal 18 litres per 100 kms, this is a fuel guzzling powerhouse. The 3.2 V6 does power out 220hp, however, it managed to slide down the green scale quite significantly.
Jeep Cherokee
Built for adventure, Jeeps are built with the exploring spirit in mind. Tough and sturdy, they are powerhouses designed to climb mountains and conquer valleys all over the world. It does, however, come with a heavy carbon tag. The Cherokee emits 223grams per kilometre, which essentially translates into 22kgs every 100km. If you think about it, it is quite hard on the barren land that you are trying to explore.
Subaru WRX STI
Rally turned street car. This is the really the car for petrol heads and speed lovers alike. And it translates into the carbon emissions. 27kgs for every 100kms does seem a pretty sturdy ask for the smaller car. It is really not light on fuel either. At 13.8 litres per 100kms, it’s not exactly your first choice for long distance.
Lamborghini Aventador
We might have told a white lie about not including a sports car. But in our defence, these are often seen cruising the streets of Camps Bay. So there are certainly a few owners in Cape Town that might want to know how much their cars emit. This V12 beauty pushes out 780 horsepower, but also pumps out enough carbon for four cars. At 87.6kgs for every 100kms, this is certainly not the most environmentally friendly car you can buy. It will, however, make all of your friends green with envy!
