The Winners of the Next UK Green Car Awards 2011 – The Scientifically-Based Green Car Awards
After watching the most entertaining but unfair, tongue in cheek reviews on Top Gear this week. Two electric cars the Nissan Leaf and the Peugeot ION were reviewed by Clarkson and Hammond. In disagreement with the programme it seems maybe some future cars are now at least becoming more of a realistic choice for useable family transport. Nissan hits back at Top Gear saying the cars were not given a fair chance by Top Gear as the car when it set off with Jeremy Clarkson at the wheel was only 40% charged.
Being a fan of electric cars and the associated new technologies, of course there will be many humdingers made on the way. It does appear to me many of these things are being ticked off the list. The biggest issue is still price and future residual values, the range anxiety issue is being defeated.
I was glad to see the list of these Awards. They are given for eight vehicle classes and a new ‘Next Generation’ category, which includes new technology models close to market launch. An overall winner is also awarded the title of Next Green Car ‘Gold Award’ 2011. Personally I am still looking forward to the Renault Zoe and Renault Twizy being on our roads sometime soon as it will offer more affordable vehicles.
The winners of the Next Green Car Awards 2011 are as follows:
- Gold Award: Vauxhall Ampera E-REV
- City Car: Peugeot iOn and Citroen C-Zero (Joint Winners)
- Supermini: Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi EcoFlex
- Small Family: Skoda Octavia Hatch 1.6 TDi GreenLine II
- Large Family: Peugeot 508 Saloon 1.6 e-HDi
- Family Estate: Ford Focus Estate 1.6 TDCi
- Executive: BMW 520d Saloon EfficientDynamics
- MPV: Renault Scenic 1.6 dCi Start-Stop
- Next Generation: Vauxhall Ampera E-REV
- Crossover: To be announced in the Autumn
The nine winners all selected from a shortlist of 27 of the UK’s greenest new cars of 2011/12. The qualities judged were environmental Green Car Rating, level of innovation, value, drive experience and design.
Dr. Ben Lane, Managing Editor of Next Green Car commented: “The 2011 winners reflect the latest technologies being used by manufacturers to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, which range from the ground-breaking drive-train of the Ampera, to the clean-diesel innovations such as ‘start-stop’, ‘regen-braking’ and catalysed particulate filters.”
He also added: “Indeed, the Vauxhall Ampera Extended-Range Electric Vehicle wins our Gold Award 2011 as it is this year’s ‘game changer’. An electric car with no range anxiety, ultra-low emissions, state-of-the-art design and it‟s a joy to drive.”
The managing director for Vauxhall, Duncan Aldred, said: “Vauxhall is very pleased to win three accolades in the Next Green Car Awards 2011, including a double for the Ampera… The Ampera has been received with much acclaim as the only electric vehicle able to run for up to 50 miles on its battery yet extend its range without stopping to over 310 miles, still on electric power.”
Read More on the Next Green Car website