A new letter grading system could turbocharge green vehicles sales!

• The Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department have proposed new rules that would require car dealerships to display a letter grade on each of their vehicles, illustrating how well (or poorly) the vehicle does on fuel efficiency and harmful emissions.
• Electric cars and hybrids would be the ‘A’ students, while Hummers and the like are most likely to end up in detention.
• Right now, dealers are only required to display a vehicle’s miles per gallon and estimated yearly fuel costs. The industry is obviously not happy with the proposal, saying it would amount to a government endorsement of certain cars and not others. Still, major auto manufacturers have been preparing for this kind of change by producing more hybrid and electric cars.

Facts & Figures

• Grades will range from A – D
• A small car like the Toyota Yaris would likely be graded B+ while many SUVs and pickup trucks would probably score C or worse
• Sales of SUVs and crossovers have gone up by 21% this year

Best Quote

“We think a new label is absolutely needed to help consumers make the right decision for their wallets and the environment.” – Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at the EPA

Tags: auto industry, electric car, Environmental Protection Agency, hybrid vehicles, low-emission vehicle