Low-emission vehicles help protect the environment from harmful gasses and pollution. With the new environmental laws in most states, you may require to know if a vehicle is a low-emitting machine before buying it.
So, is the Honda Accord a low-emission vehicle? Why? Yes. Honda Accord from the 2004 model is a low-emission vehicle with an average of 129 grams of emissions per mile. It is considered an LEV because its emission rate is lower than the California low-emission vehicle set rate of 200 grams of emission per mile.
This article provides detailed information on whether Honda Accord is a low-emission vehicle. It also gives the reasons behind Honda Accord’s low emission feature. Please keep reading to learn more about low-emission vehicles and their benefits.
What Is A Low Emission Vehicle?
A low-emission vehicle is designed and equipped to reduce the amounts of dangerous gasses released into the air by vehicles. These gasses include unburnt hydrocarbon gasses and other byproducts of gasoline combustion.
These harmful gasses have adverse effects on human life and the environment at large. In the States, all vehicles manufactured from 2004 are LEVs meant to reduce emissions.
With technological improvement, the motor industry has reinvented other LEV classes based on their emission percentages. Check out this table to know this in detail.
Levels Of Low Emission Vehicles | Amounts Of Emissions |
Ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV) | 50% fewer emissions than an average car built in 2004 |
Super-ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEV) | 90% fewer emissions than an average car built in 2004 |
Partial-zero emission vehicles (PZEV) | Emission standards of SULEV but with zero evaporative emissions |
Advanced technology-Partial-zero emission vehicles (AT PZEV) | Hybrid cars with zero emissions and has advanced technology features |
Zero emission vehicles (ZEV) | 98% fewer emissions than an average car built in 2004. Zero emissions and runs on electric batteries or hydrogen fuel cells |
Is Honda Accord A Low Emission Vehicle? Why?
Yes. Honda Accord is a low-emission vehicle with an average emission of 129 grams of carbon dioxide per mile. According to the environmental protection agency in the US, a typical car emits an average of 411 grams of emissions per mile.
In contrast, according to the EPA’s ten-point scale, cars should emit no more than 200 grams of emissions. Therefore, the Honda Accord is a low-emission vehicle with an average of 129 emissions per mile.
Honda Accord has been considered the model that introduced the California low-emission vehicle (CA LEV). Later in the years, other states adopted the California law to enhance a cleaner environment.
Since 2004, Honda Accord has manufactured models that have surpassed the LEV standards and achieved the ULEV levels. Some do have the SULEV standards. The aim is to have a zero-emission vehicle without interfering with its normal functions.
What Are The Benefits Of A Low-Emission Vehicle?
A low-emission vehicle is considered a clean form of transport as the vehicles emit low or zero amounts of harmful gasses into the environment. Discussed below are the benefits of a low-emission vehicle.
Clean Air
Low-emission vehicles and zero-emission vehicles contribute almost 40% to the cleanliness of the air on the streets. Enacting laws to eliminate gasoline and diesel high-emission vehicles gives room for clean air for human life and the environment.
Healthy Climates
A healthy climate depends on several factors, but vehicle emissions significantly affect climate patterns. Too much carbon dioxide released into the air causes global warming.
Introducing laws to enforce the use of LEVs helps reduce pressure on the climate in the United States.
Budget Savings
From a broader perspective, using LEVs saves in several fields. With a cleaner safe climate, the healthcare budget is saved.
Even if purchasing electric or LEV vehicles is expensive, their maintenance is cheap compared to gasoline vehicles. You no longer have to incur significant costs buying diesel and gasoline.
Cleaner Energy Economy Expansion
The use of clean energy vehicles improves and expands the clean energy economy. Electric, low-emission, and eco-friendly vehicles reduce the amounts of pollutants getting into our environment.
All these efforts in reducing emissions save on the budget that could be otherwise used to maintain the clean energy economy.
FAQs
To better understand Honda Accord emission levels, read through the following frequently asked questions.
Q: How Do I Know If My Honda Accord is ULEV?
Ultra-low-emission vehicles use electric batteries or hydrogen gas fuel and hence have no emissions. If your Honda Accord uses gasoline or diesel, they can’t be quantified as ULEV.
However, the hybrid Honda Accord may be ULEV due to the use of a small electric engine.
Q: What Is The Set Limit Of Carbon Dioxide Emissions For Vehicles?
Different States have varying limits for emissions. However, the environmental protection agency offers a standard limit. On average, a vehicle should not emit more than 200 grams of emissions per mile.
Some vehicle models have improved to partial zero emissions, while others use electric engines and hydrogen fuels. For legal purposes, ensure you have met the required standards for the State you live in.
Q: Does My Honda Accord Become LEV if I Use Gasoline That Contains Ethanol?
Ethanol contains fewer amounts of carbon dioxide compared to typical types of gasoline. However, using gasoline that contains ethanol does not make your vehicle LEV. This is because the gasoline present will have emissions of unburnt hydrocarbon gasses.
To reduce emissions in the US, the gasoline used contains an average of 10% ethanol.
Conclusion
According to California Air Resources Board (CARB), Honda Accord is regarded as a low-emission vehicle due to the low amounts of unburnt hydrocarbons it emits.
Honda Accord emits less than the set 200 grams of emissions per mile with only 129 grams per mile. In the US, driving a Honda Accord 2004 model to date is environmentally safe.
Other classes that have been developed since 2004 include SULEV, PZEV, AT PZEV, and ZEV. All these models help reduce pollution from gasoline and diesel engine-powered cars.
Shams Bin Majeed says
Hi,
We would like know what is the carbon emission of new 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid 2.0
Gary Piotrowski says
Hello,
Thank you for your comment. The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid 2.0 has a fuel economy of 48 MPG combined, 51 MPG city, and 44 MPG highway1.
This means that it consumes about 6.2 barrels of regular gasoline per year, and emits about 184 grams of CO2 per mile2.
Compared to the average 2024 vehicle, which gets 28 MPG and emits 366 grams of CO2 per mile2, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid 2.0 is a low-emission vehicle that can save you money and reduce your environmental impact. For more information on the Honda two-motor hybrid system, you can check out this article3. I hope this helps.