The Hyundai Ioniq electric vehicle has been named the greenest car in the United States, beating its global rivals the BMW i3 and the Toyota Prius Eco, the South Korean manufacturer of the car, Hyundai Motor Co., said Wednesday.
The Ioniq Electric topped a list of environmentally friendly vehicles sold in the United States that was put together by a non-profit organization, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
The list, posted on the ACEEE's website, showed the car on top, followed by the BMW i3, the Toyota Prius Eco and the Fiat 500E.
The U.S. organization said Ioniq's top place finish was "quite a feat," noting the top spot had been claimed only by compact or subcompact vehicles over the past 10 years.
"The new midsize Hyundai Ioniq Electric tops the Greenest List with the highest-ever Green Score of 64," it added.
The Ioniq, launched early last year, is also available in a plug-in hybrid version.
Meanwhile, the list showed the Kia Soul Electric, produced by Kia Motors Corp., an affiliate of Hyundai Motor, ranked seventh after the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Bolt.