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Green NCAP aims to provide a reference for consumers' choice and purchase for clean vehicles, by providing the real environmental performance and energy consumption of new cars. Green NCAP aims to also take non-evaluated points in type-approval testing, ensuring that the vehicle is robust in its entire engine map. Green NCAP’s goal is to ensure that the vehicle vehicle’s propulsion unit should be clean and energy efficient in every feasible engine speed and engine load operation point and under the maximum torque curve. In laboratory conditions a WLTC cold, a WLTC warm, a BAB130 warm and WLTC Cold at -7ºC tests are performed. In real-world conditions a PEMS Regular Cold, a PEMS Heavy Warm and a PEMS Light Warm. Real-world testing also includes PEMS Congestion test and short urban trips. The pollutants measured are CO, CO₂, NO_x, NO and NO₂, THC, CH₄, particulate matter (PM) and particle number (PN) and also the non-regulated ammonia (NH3) and laughing gas N₂O. The rating system is composed of the average of three indices: the clean air index dealing with pollutant emissions, the energy efficiency index which rates the energy consumption, and the greenhouse gas index taking into account the global warming harmful gases CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O. GHG index, includes the emissions produced during the production of electricity and production of fossil fuels (Tank-to-Wheel).

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The AIR Index ratings are based on data collected according to the European protocol CWA17379, a methodology based and developed within the CEN workshop. The vehicle data are recorded from urban testing of vehicles using PEMS devices during on-road driving. Hence, AIR Index has a standardised on-road procedure to measure NO_x emissions and CO₂ in urban conditions. CWA17379 demand the testing of at least two matching examples of each model with three separate journeys, including at least five 10 km trips conducted on paved roads, at an average speed between 20 km/h and 40 km/h. The AIR Index ratings for urban NO_x do not reflect emissions during rural or motorway driving.

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The ADAC Ecotest uses three test cycles for all vehicles. These cycles are the WLTC cycle, performed with hot and cold engine start, and a specific motorway cycle (BAB). This motorway cycle includes operational areas outside the legislated operational areas including a higher maximum speed (130 km/h) and full-load accelerations. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are tested on an additional electric cycle combining the WLTC and the motorway cycle. Additionally, the emissions produced during the production of electricity are included in the evaluation of the pollutant rating and the CO₂ rating. For vehicles with multiple driving modes, measurements are performed in the default mode. If a mode is to be selected, then the most ecological mode is chosen. The rating given to a vehicle model is based on a weighted average of the testing cycles performed on one vehicle.

On-road testing using PEMS is not a standard part of the Ecotest label. If a vehicle achieves more than 4 stars based on the lab tests, then the vehicle is additionally tested on-road using PEMS. The PEMS test is based on the current EU legislative requirements.

The classification of the vehicles depends on a star rating from 0 to 5 stars.  The stars are based on a score between 0 and 100, considering the (Well-to-Wheel) CO2 emissions and the pollutant emissions (based on HC, CO, NOx, PM and PN). A vehicle need to score well during the laboratory testing, as well as during real-world testing. If a vehicles scores well in the lab, but not on the road, the vehicle is downgraded. The same limits apply for all different powertrains.

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The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) rating is a classification system designed to concisely inform the public of the magnitude of a vehicle's emissions over its lifetime under a wide range of operating conditions and driving behaviours. TRUE rating emissions are tracked over the lifetime of the vehicle primarily using remote sensing technology which can collect large number of vehicle emissions snapshots per day. The TRUE rating differentiates vehicle models by EURO standard from Euro 1 through Euro 6 and it currently covers only NOx emissions of diesel and gasoline cars released through the exhaust pipe (Tank-To-Wheel emissions). Since there are very few Euro 6d vehicles in the European fleet, it is currently not possible for TRUE to rate any of these vehicles separately.

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The aim of the Green Vehicle Index EU funded project is to orient the consumer towards the most energy efficient low-polluting vehicle by providing understandable information and to spark competition among manufacturers to produce real clean and energy efficient vehicles. The index is based on Green NCAP Rating.

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The Ecoscore provides an indication of the overall environmental friendliness of a vehicle. Therefore, various categories of environmental impact are considered: global warming, air quality (health effects and effects on ecosystems) and noise. The relative weights of the rating go as follows: 50% for global warming, 40% for air quality and 10% for noise. The applied environmental review allows combining these different effects into one single indicator. The rating is based on a calculation that considers type approval limits (except for NOx for Euro 5 & 6 diesel cars), meaning the Euro emissions stage of the vehicle.  The method used in this perspective is the well-to-wheel (WtW) approach. This considers both tank-to-wheel (exhaust emissions caused by driving a vehicle) and well-to-tank emissions (emissions from production and distribution of the fuel) allowing the comparison of vehicles with different fuels and different technologies with the same indicator.

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