EMERYVILLE (KRON) — AAA named the Tesla Model S 70D their Green Car of the Year, the American Automobile Association announced Tuesday.
The Tesla is featured with 80 other green vehicles in the AAA’s annual Green Car Guide for 2016. The 2014 Hatchback BMW i3 scored the second spot on the list and the 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium came in third.
“The Tesla Model S 70D has a 240-mile range, room for five, excellent power and steering, and fast charge capability,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “Add sleek styling, great acceleration and an air of sophistication that separates it from other alternative-fueled vehicles and you see why the Model S 70D was our top vehicle this year.”
The Tesla took three awards – Best Green Car over $50,000, the large car category winner and the AAA Green Car of the Year. In other categories, the best green car under $30,000 was the Mazda 3S Grand Touring, and the best green pickup is the Ford F-150 Supercab Lariat.2016 AAA Best Green Car by Price:
Over $50,000: 2015 Tesla Model S 70D
$30,000 to $50,000: 2014 BMW i3
Under $30,000: 2014 Mazda 3S Grand Touring2016 AAA Green Car Guide Category Winners:
Large car: Tesla Model S 70D (Electric)
Midsize: Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC 4matic (Clean Diesel)
Compact: Volkswagen e-Golf SEL Premium (Electric)
Subcompact: BMW i3 (Electric)
SUV/Minivan: Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium (PZEV)
Pickup Truck: Ford F-150 Supercab Lariat (Gasoline)