It might seem too obvious to even be necessary or you may argue that anybody who watches the news or reads it occasionally is more than aware of the need for more environmentally friendly cars. In essence that’s true but nevertheless the US government might be adding an eco-grading system for all new vehicles that are placed on the market starting in 2012. It’s not a bad idea and at least takes away from the dealer hype or any risk of misinformation. All consumers should know the overall environmental rating for a new car purchase via a scale that is not biased toward a particular manufacturer or vehicle type but will truly be able to compare apples with apples or if the mileage is really bad lemons with lemons.

The Chevy Volt which we’ve discussed at some length looks set to corner the electric market in 2012 and from their website I wanted to share the proposed new vehicle credentials that will appear on all new cars in showrooms and lots throughout the country, however I don’t see a grade on this example but I assume it to be an A+. I think the idea looks pretty useful and really does focus on a few critical areas; annual fuel costs, range of the vehicle, emissions from the vehicle. The combination of these three factors will allow the buyer to make more rational and informed decisions when shopping for cars especially when considering the lifespan of the vehicle and the environmental impact of owning it. There is also something to be said for seeing in black and white (and green) the annual fuel cost savings which when married to the emissions statistics should add even more heightened appeal to certain specific cars.

The labeling system is being proposed as a joint collaboration between the Transportation Department and the Environmental Protection Agency. Each passenger car would receive a grade between an A+ and a D with the grading based upon the factors I’ve outlined above. The initial reports state that only electric cars would be eligible for an A+ rating while certain plug-in hybrid cars could receive a classification as high as and A. The information is certainly more useful than the current MPG designations for urban and highway driving which only allow a certain level of insight to the vehicles green performance. It is expected that the traditional family car would receive a grade of B or C under the proposed standards, according to the EPA the primary goal is to simplify the evaluation process for environmental standards so that consumers can readily acquire the information they need to make an easier and more informed decision about their new car.

Hopefully the market itself will pay as much attention to this labeling system if it becomes a reality as they do when looking at video screens, stereo systems and trunk space when they go shopping for a new car. I also think the idea is long overdue and can only enhance the appeal of the more fuel-efficient vehicles that the market so desperately needs. I’m tempted to speak about the anticipated spike in fuel prices that experts are forecasting for 2013 but I’ll save that for another post. We’ll be watching to see if this gets approved as ideally it shall.