ADAC gives Tesla Model S 5 stars and highest ranking in Eco test

[Mario Kadastik]

ADAC EcoTest: Renault Zoe und Tesla Model S


Original article is in german, but it basically states that two EVs (Renault Zoe and Model S) received 5 star rating in the Eco test with Model S being the first high/middle end car to reach it. Points wise the MS got the highest ranking with 98 points while Zoe got 92 and the closes ICE competitor of 525i diesel economic edition had 90p.

The ADAC range test gave them 415 km. I think it's overall a good statement because ADAC is quite well known and looked at by people pre-purchase

 

[mep]

I agree, this is a great result for the MS in Germany. ADAC is the German equivalent to the AAA in the US and because way more Germans are members of the ADAC than Americans have memberships in the AAA the ADAC is an authority in Germany. Their tests have a similar significance as the Consumer Reports results over here. Another detail: The ADAC last year increased the stringency of their testing now also including the CO2 footprint of a car during the production of the vehicle. That should convince all these nay sayers that even with this factored in the MS is still more ecofriendly than the best high efficiency diesel - still the bench mark in Germany for fuel efficiency.

 

[brianman]

Points wise the MS got the highest ranking with 98 points while Zoe got 92 and the closes ICE competitor of 525i diesel economic edition had 90p.

In the absence of other information I would assume that the scale is to 100. If not, please educate me on the real range please.

Now for my question...

What did they find "lacking" in the Model S (and in the Zoe for that matter)?

Thanks.

 

[jerry33]

What did they find "lacking" in the Model S (and in the Zoe for that matter)?

Perhaps tire wear?

 

[brianman]

Partially answering my own question...

A few trips through url clicking and google translate got me this far, but no further (yet?).

Google Translate

Test result 08/2013
Pollutants	50
CO[SUB]2[/SUB] (class-related)	48
Overall result EcoTest	98

 

[mep]

In the absence of other information I would assume that the scale is to 100. If not, please educate me on the real range please.

I just checked the point system. The maximum points are 110.

Cars can achieve a maximum of 50 points in the harmful emission category (CO, HC, NOx etc) and 60 points in the CO2 emission category.
The test assumes a mix of emissions produced when using power taken from an average German outlet.
Of course, they also state that by using regenerative energy only, the result would be better, however, the way they are doing it allows for an objective car by car comparison.

They give 5 stars above 90 points

I do not believe that currently any car can achieve the maximum of 110 points because no car company uses materials to build their cars that are produced completely CO2 or emission neutral.

ADAC EcoTest - Fünf Sterne für die Umwelt

What did they find "lacking" in the Model S (and in the Zoe for that matter)?

I believe that the difference between the Zoe and the MS point lies in the different classes they are being tested in. The Zoe is in the "compact" class and the MS in the "upper middle" class. Even though the MS produces more CO2 than the Zoe (136g/km vs. 120g/km) in its class the result of the MS means much more and no other car comes even close.

 

[Franko30]

The test assumes a mix of emissions produced when using power taken from an average German outlet.
Even though the MS produces more CO2 than the Zoe (136g/km vs. 120g/km) in its class the result of the MS means much more and no other car comes even close.

Hi from Germany,

I'd like to point out that the amount of CO2 emitted per kWh of "average German electricity mix" depends heavily on the year you take as a base. German electricity is still quite strong on the coal side - but renewable energy has had a bigger percentage in the mix every year for about 8 years now.

And as the ADAC is basically a lobby organisation for makers of ICE cars (disguised as loby for car drivers), I guess they use older data to make the CO2 emissions of electric cars look worse than they actually are.

I've been driving electric cars/vehicles exclusively since 2006 and I always only bought electricity from one of the trustworthy "renewable energy only" utility compnies, the EWS Schönau.

So with EWS electricity (0-3 g of CO2/kWh instead of Germany's average of 500 g of CO2/kWh) my Tesla Model S with "emits" 0-6 g of CO2/km - not 136! :scared:

Cheers

Frank