Electric vehicles (EV) dominated at the 2023 World Car of the Year Awards. The Hyundai IONIQ 6 electric saloon (see above) took the top prize winning the 2023 World Car of the Year Award beatingthe BMW X1 electric SUV and the Kia Niro which also made the top three.
Hyundai’s latest electric vehicle, which follows in the footsteps of the hugely popular IONIQ 5 electric crossover, also took World Car Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year at the World Car Awards.
The IONIQ 6, which was inspired by Hyundai’s Prophecy EV Concept, will deliver an impressive range of over 380 miles (610km) thanks to the car’s ultra-efficient aerodynamic shape that has an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21.
The IONIQ 6 is built on Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and will be capable of ultra-fast, 400-volt and 800-Volt multi-charging without the need for additional components or adapters. It will be available with a range of different drive motors and battery pack options.
Jaehoon Chang, Hyundai Motor Company CEO, said: “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honour two years in a row, which recognises the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market.
“This honour reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider.”
Hyundai, which is also the parent company of Kia, saw the Kia EV6 GT, which uses the same electric platform as the IONIQ 6, crowned World Performance Car of the Year. The Kia EV6 GT, which is now the brand’s fastest car, can deliver up to 576hp (429 kW/583 PS) and 545 lb-ft (738 Nm) of torque. That allows it to hit 60 mph (96kph) in just 3.4 seconds yet it still delivers up to 206 miles (331km) of range.
Another electric car beating the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to the top spot was the Lucid Air which took the win the World Luxury Car of the Year. The Dream Edition of the Lucid Air not only offers pure luxury motoring but delivers a range of up to 520 miles (837km) from a single charge.
