Car of the Year 2022: 6 out of 7 finalists are 100% electric

For the first time, six of the seven finalists for Car of the Year are 100% electric. A historic shift that follows and even anticipates market trends.

Founded in 1964, the Car of the Year (CoTY) organization is preparing to crown its 59^th Car of the Year. Starting from a list of 39 models, the 61 European automotive journalists (including six French, among them the author of this article) who make up the jury have this year largely focused their choices on electric models. Votes come from 23 countries, though some like Russia, Poland, or the Czech Republic seem to care little or almost nothing about zero-emission vehicles. But it is worth noting, especially under European Commission pressure, that the majority of new automotive releases this year are in this propulsion mode.

In 2021, the Toyota Yaris was awarded. An accolade based on its successful hybridization and intrinsic qualities, but also on its mechanical variety and notably its fierce GR version derived from a rally special. In 2022, the winner may be chosen based on other considerations. Nevertheless, the election always rests on two pillars: either it is a completely new and necessarily successful vehicle arriving in a segment where the manufacturer has never ventured before, or it celebrates the renewal of an existing model, depending on what it brings to the market.

The Nominees

In this context, the nominees are:

• Cupra Born
  The sporty variant of the Volkswagen ID.3, under a brand derived from Seat, will highlight its dynamic lines and unique identity.
• Ford Mustang Mach-E
  Nearly ten years have passed since the American manufacturer last won Car of the Year (with the Focus). If it wins, it will be a first for Mustang.
• Hyundai Ioniq 5
  A major new release for the Korean manufacturer, entering a new segment. This large SUV features more advanced technology than others (800 Volt platform).
• Kia EV6
  The technical cousin of the Hyundai, but with a higher capacity battery and in a very different style. This model features the brand’s new technical colors.
• Peugeot 308
  The only “non-electrified,” but not entirely because it is still available in plug-in hybrid. A victory would indicate that “not everything is over” for the thermal engine.
• Renault Megane E-Tech
  The diamond brand is betting heavily on this title, already sporting the “Finalist” logo in its TV ads. Will the electric Megane, in Captur format, convince the jury?
• Skoda Enyaq iV
  The same platform as the Cupra Born, but in a more family-oriented version. It is the second cousin of last year’s finalist, the Volkswagen ID.3, to be selected.

Not the First Time

If a 100% electric model wins in 2022, it would not be the first time. In 2011, faced with six internal combustion competitors, the Nissan Leaf was crowned. It then became the best-selling electric car in the world, a sign that the jury was spot-on at a time when the “EV” was still embryonic. It wasn’t until 2019 that a second electric, this time the Jaguar I-Pace, took home the prize.

The Car of the Year title, highly sought after by many manufacturers, is not only a significant marketing argument but also a source of internal motivation. In 2020, Jean-Philippe Imparato, then CEO of Peugeot, commented on the victory of the 208 over the Tesla Model 3 and Porsche Taycan: “The commercial impact of a title like Car of the Year is hard to measure because we use the trophy’s logo in all our marketing campaigns. But when you’re recognized by such a jury, it’s a signature of expertise and an element of building our image. What’s also important is sharing the victory with the design teams, the product engineering teams, and finally in our factories. It’s very important to tell the people involved in this project how important they are to us.”

Which brand will be the next recipient of the Car of the Year trophy? The answer will be revealed on February 28 in Geneva, after the jury gathers one last time around the finalists at the Mortefontaine circuit (60).