Rating "Sustainability"

On model pages we give a sustainability rating as a number per category. By sustainability we mean the environmental impact of driving itself: the CO2 emission from the tailpipe under the WLTP statement on combustion engines, and on electric cars the electricity consumption combined with the prevailing electricity mix of the Dutch and German market. We additionally weigh indicators of lifespan and repairability, because a car that lasts longer spreads the production impact over more kilometres.

This figure is deliberately limited in scope. We do not compute a full well-to-wheel or lifecycle analysis, because the data required for that differ strongly per model, factory and battery origin and are rarely publicly traceable. Nor do we make a statement about the sustainability of a specific user; your driving behaviour and electricity contract determine the actual footprint.

The rating is a reference figure with methodology and reference date on the methodology page. It is not buying advice and not a "best choice for you"; use the individual components (WLTP, real-world consumption, drivetrain) to weigh it up yourself.