A revolution in automotive layout, coupled with oodles of luxury features and strong electrifying general performance has viewed electric cars and trucks sweep absent the age of combustion engines in the hottest Environment Auto Awards.
And pleasingly, all the winners are, or will be by the close of 2022, out there in Australia.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 took the guide, grabbing three titles at the 2022 awards ceremony in New York on Wednesday, where by 5 out of six categories had been won by electrical autos. The Audi e-tron GT gained the Entire world Functionality Automobile title, and the Mercedes-Benz EQS gained the Environment Luxurious Car title.
The Ioniq 5 was the 1st electric powered design to provide to current market auto-to-load (V2L) know-how which allows owners to charge products straight from the vehicle’s big lithium-ion battery, and it is innovations like this that are enabled by EV drivetrain that have evidently gained the hearts of judges.
The major battery beneath the ground also will allow for a new tactic to design in EVs, and the inside of the Ioniq 5, which was dubbed an “electric Tardis” by The Pushed skilled Bryce Gaton.
Outside the house, the Ioniq 5 is distinctly various to any car that has occur before. It has angular strains and also delivers the alternative of an exterior V2L charge stage that will make it easy to plug in an electrical bicycle or other large battery-driven issues, these as an electric powered Harley Livewire. Electric powered weekend away, anybody?
Its win as Environment Car of the Calendar year was up against some severe contenders, which ended up also both totally electrical: the Ford Mustang Mach-e, which has by all studies proved a well known addition to the US current market, and the Kia EV6, which like the Ioniq 5 is available in Australia and shares the exact drivetrain system.
While the EV6 usually takes a more common strategy, both equally internally in terms of design, it stays a fierce competitor versus its South Korean cousin, and with its dynamic appears to be and aim on driving overall performance aims to attractiveness to a more youthful viewers.
Beating down the EV6 in the World Motor vehicle Style and design of the Calendar year group, the Ioniq 5 also faced off the Audi e-tron GT, which is the German carmaker’s grand tourer consider on its electric e-tron collection.
Constructed on the exact platform as the Porsche Taycan, the e-tron GT as an alternative nabbed the Entire world Effectiveness Automobile of the Calendar year title – this time from two combustion contenders, the BMW M3/M4 and the Toyota GR86 which shares its DNA and its entry application with the Subaru BRZ.
And its effectiveness qualifications are outstanding: The Audi e-tron GT characteristics a twin electrical motor setup that deliver a massive 630Nm torque and 350kW of ability, which can be elevated to 390kW for short intervals of time.
The RS e-tron GT can take factors a move even more, with 21-inch alloy wheels and tungsten carbide brake discs with red callipers. It can dash from -100km/hr in 3.3 seconds, with 440kW of ability (up to 475kW on boost) and 830Nm torque, though the e-tron GT is not considerably behind, clocking in at 3.6 seconds.
When the Japanese contenders scored best in conditions of value and marginally topped the other folks for marketplace importance, the e-tron GT – which begins at $181,700 for the e-tron GT quattro and $249,700 for the array-topping RS e-tron GT in Australia – scored greater on each individual other mark. Unsurprisingly for a general performance car or truck, its zero-emissions credentials saw it arrive way out in entrance on the Surroundings scorecard.
Mercedes-Benz’ flagship EQS electric powered sedan, which nabbed the top luxurious car award, scarcely gained its title versus a further electric luxurious contender, the BMW iX.
Both equally veritable zeppelins showcasing peak engineering innovation, they headed off the Genesis GV70 by a few score factors. But it was the EQS that ultimately gained out, with innovation as properly as security front and centre for the judges.
With a significant “hyperscreen” and avante garde ambience for those people in the cockpit, Mercedes-Benz hopes to seduce those people with high-tech innovation that soothes the senses.
Designer “soundscapes” that evoke Daft-Punkesque expeditions into the potential and even a new fragrance produced specifically for its crafted-in “air-balance” program also seek to encapsulate each driver and passenger in a cocoon of luxury effervescence, if that takes place to be your thing.
For a lot more details on area characteristics, requirements and pricing make positive to examine out our EV versions webpages.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister web site of Renew Economic climate. She has been writing about electrical vehicles because 2018, and has a keen desire in the purpose that zero-emissions transport has to engage in in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts these types of as Download This Display with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electrical Car Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model 3 and has it offered for retain the services of on evee.com.au.