Green NCAP life-cycle ratings: Mini Cooper E, Fiat 600e lead
Green NCAP updates life-cycle car ratings: Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e lead
Green NCAP life-cycle ratings: Mini Cooper E, Fiat 600e lead
Green NCAP debuts life-cycle ratings covering production, use and recycling. Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e score five stars; Kia EV9 gets three. Mass matters.
2025-09-30T08:13:05+03:00
2025-09-30T08:13:05+03:00
2025-09-30T08:13:05+03:00
Green NCAP has unveiled upgraded standards for assessing the environmental impact of cars. The revised rating now covers the full life cycle of a vehicle — from raw-material extraction and component manufacturing through everyday use, servicing, and end-of-life recycling.Under the new standards, twelve popular models were tested. Compact electric cars Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e came out on top, each earning the maximum five stars. These models delivered strong results for clean exhaust, low levels of harmful emissions, and energy efficiency.By contrast, the Kia EV9 electric crossover secured only three stars. Experts attributed this to its considerable size and weight, which increase environmental load as early as the production stage and during the transport of materials needed to build the vehicle. Its use phase, however, was rated highly thanks to zero direct carbon-dioxide emissions. The gasoline-powered Hyundai i20 received an intermediate score of 3.5 stars. It’s a clear reminder that mass and scale can shape sustainability long before a car turns a wheel.The new calculation framework accounts not only for a vehicle’s on-road performance but also for mineral extraction, manufacturing of the car and its battery, maintenance, repairs, and the disposal of all parts after active service ends. The model assumes a typical lifespan of about 16 years and a total mileage of roughly 240,000 kilometers. Shifting the lens to the entire journey helps anchor the discussion where a vehicle’s footprint truly begins and ends.
Green NCAP, life-cycle ratings, EV sustainability, Mini Cooper E, Fiat 600e, Kia EV9, Hyundai i20, clean exhaust, energy efficiency, car environmental impact
2025
Michael Powers
news
Green NCAP updates life-cycle car ratings: Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e lead
Green NCAP debuts life-cycle ratings covering production, use and recycling. Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e score five stars; Kia EV9 gets three. Mass matters.
Michael Powers, Editor
Green NCAP has unveiled upgraded standards for assessing the environmental impact of cars. The revised rating now covers the full life cycle of a vehicle — from raw-material extraction and component manufacturing through everyday use, servicing, and end-of-life recycling.
Under the new standards, twelve popular models were tested. Compact electric cars Mini Cooper E and Fiat 600e came out on top, each earning the maximum five stars. These models delivered strong results for clean exhaust, low levels of harmful emissions, and energy efficiency.
By contrast, the Kia EV9 electric crossover secured only three stars. Experts attributed this to its considerable size and weight, which increase environmental load as early as the production stage and during the transport of materials needed to build the vehicle. Its use phase, however, was rated highly thanks to zero direct carbon-dioxide emissions. The gasoline-powered Hyundai i20 received an intermediate score of 3.5 stars. It’s a clear reminder that mass and scale can shape sustainability long before a car turns a wheel.
The new calculation framework accounts not only for a vehicle’s on-road performance but also for mineral extraction, manufacturing of the car and its battery, maintenance, repairs, and the disposal of all parts after active service ends. The model assumes a typical lifespan of about 16 years and a total mileage of roughly 240,000 kilometers. Shifting the lens to the entire journey helps anchor the discussion where a vehicle’s footprint truly begins and ends.
