Why Tesla rules the ratings in AAA's Green Car Guide

If you're looking for a green car, look no further than a Tesla. Dawn White (via Penn Live) spoke with Rashmi Shah at a Tesla Supercharger station about his new Model 3. "I love it," Shah said. "I bought it mainly because I want to be good to the environment. I also save on gas, and it's a really smooth ride."

Above: AAA's 2018 Green Car Guide (Source: AAA)

But it's not just the Model 3 that's making waves in the green car category. White spoke with AAA's Doni Lee Spiegel for her thoughts on the automotive market. And even though AAA's green car winners were already announced back in May, it was informative to get Spiegel's take on the awards and the company's outlook on electric vehicles.

Spiegel emphasized that Tesla's Model X 75D won AAA's Green Car vehicle award, impressively, for the second year in a row. In addition to being Overall Winner, the Model X 75D also won the Best Over $50K and SUV/Minivan categories. Tesla's Model S 75 also happened to win AAA's Large Car category.

Above: Tesla took home some AAA accolades this year (Source: AAA)

According to AAA, the future looks bright for electric vehicles. A 2018 study from AAA shows 20% of Americans plan to go electric for their next car. Spiegel says that translates to, "Fifty million people... [who] would likely buy an electric vehicle for their next car." Speaking at a Tesla Supercharger station, she adds, "the time it takes to charge them isn't as long. People are really excited about buying green vehicles." 

When discussing his new Model 3, Shah notes, "I have a small charging station at my house... I come to a larger place like this [Supercharger station] when I want to get a longer charge. It will last for about 300 miles and takes less than an hour." Furthermore, it's reported that, "AAA says it costs about half [as much] to operate an electric car than a gas-powered car, so the savings quickly add up." 

Above: AAA's Doni Lee Spiegel talks about electric cars (Youtube: PennLive.com)

Greg Brannon, AAA's director of Automotive Engineering explains, "Today, electric vehicles have mainstream appeal. While concern for the environment is still a major motivator, AAA found U.S. drivers are also attracted to the lower long-term costs and advanced technology features that many of these vehicles offer." 

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Source: Penn Live / AAA's Green Car Guide