In some circles — especially some automotive circles — bigger is better. This explains the Hummer, for example.
In its so-called “Meanest List” of a dozen models, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) makes no apologies for berating “the worst-performing mass market automobiles” sold in 2024 in the U.S. The most diminutive car on the list is a Chevy Corvette Z06.
At the top of this particular heap is the Mercedes-Benz AMG G63, a gas-powered SUV that the environmental agency says was “the worst-performing vehicle of the more than 1,200 models assessed by Greener Cars and has an annual fuel cost over $4,000.” Not to mention its MSRP of around $184,000.
| Rank | Make & Model | Powertrain | Green Score |
MSRP | Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 | Gas | 20 | $184,000 | $4,242 |
| 2 | Ram 1500 TRX 4×4 | Gas | 22 | $98,335 | $3,819 |
| 3 | Ford F150 Raptor R | Gas | 24 | $79,975 | $3,777 |
| 4 | Cadillac Escalade V | Gas | 26 | $152,295 | $3,388 |
| 5 | Dodge Durango SRT | Gas | 26 | $74,995 | $3,332 |
| 6 | Jeep Wrangler 4dr 4X4 | Gas | 27 | $35,895 | $3,260 |
| 7 | Jeep Grand Wagoneer 4×4 | Gas | 28 | $91,945 | $3,058 |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz G550 | Gas | 28 | $143,000 | $3,186 |
| 9 | GMC Hummer EV SUV | EV | 29 | $98,845 | $1,746 |
| 10 | GMC Sierra | Gas | 29 | $37,700 | $3,069 |
| 11 | Chevrolet Corvette Z06 | Gas | 30 | $114,395 | $3,169 |
| 12 | Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680 | Gas | 30 | $234,300 | $3,031 |
| *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of the annual cost of driving 15,000 miles | |||||
In terms of numbers, the dirty dozen of the meanest includes seven SUVs and three trucks. Lonely at the middle of the list is the sole electric, the GMC Hummer EV, which weighs in at 9,000 pounds. The council notes that “though EVs have lower emissions than similarly sized gasoline models, the Hummer demonstrates that size and efficiency, not just fuel source, are important factors in a car’s environmental impact.”
It’s also worth reminding prospective buyers that the average fuel cost of a vehicle on the “Greenest List” eats up only a fifth of the fuel cost of a vehicle on the Meanest List, “showing that greener options can also be more affordable.” The ACEEE also put out a “Greener List” of efficient gasoline and hybrid cars that don’t require plugging in.
