The German Car of the Year Awards (GCOTY) recently took place with electric cars dominating by winning three of the five categories. Volkswagen’s ID.3, Polestar 2 and Honda-e claimed top honours in their classes.
The awards ceremony is judged by 18 of Germany’s leading German automotive journalists, which judge 72 vehicles that have been released since the end of 2019. The judges independently evaluate entrants according to various criteria such as design, driving pleasure, drivetrain, handling, quality, comfort, practicality, safety, environment, infotainment, significance and price/performance ratio.
The all-electric ID.3 compact hatchback won the Premium class sub €50,000 (£45,000/$59,000). The ID.3 faced stiff competition in its category that also featured several other electric cars including the Fiat 500e and the Honda-e. Not only did the VW’s ID.3 outclass these but also beat many big-name combustion engine cars from carmakers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. The ID.3 won points for its environmentally friendly design and innovation in particular.
Klaus Zellmer, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars with responsibility for Sales, Marketing and After Sales, said: “The ID.3 has already come out on top in a number of relevant comparison tests. The fact that it has been rewarded by the jury primarily for its environmentally friendly design and innovation is also a very special form of recognition for all of us here at Volkswagen. Environmentally friendly design and innovation are the most important cornerstones of our ‘Way to Zero’ strategy, which aims to deliver zero-emissions mobility for all.”
The all-electric Polestar 2 also took home top honours in the Luxury class, which is cars over €50,000 (£45,000/$59,000). It won its class by a large margin beating the likes of Tesla’s electric Model Y, and some heavy hitters in the internal combustion engine world including the Aston Martin DBX, the Ferrari Roma and the Bentley Flying Spur.
Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar, said: “It has always been our aim to bring more than just an electric alternative to the market, to develop a car that inspires customers with its design, innovation and performance. We are proud that the jury has recognised Polestar 2 in this way.”
Alexander Lutz, Managing Director of Polestar Germany, said: “The award proves that electric mobility is on the rise in Germany. The fact that we were able to prevail in this important category, especially against all the established brands, confirms what a fantastic car Polestar 2 is.”
The compact Honda-e took the win in the New Energy class making it three electric car wins out of five classes. It beat against some of the biggest players in the electric car world including Mini Cooper SE, Peugeot e-208, Skoda Citigo E IV and Tesla Model Y.
With these three wins at this event, the future is looking brighter than ever for the electric car market. In winning their classes both the ID.3 and Polestar 2 have reached the final round of this year’s GCOTY competition.
