Chevy Bolt EV named Canadian Green Car of the Year

VANCOUVER—The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) announced that Chevrolet Bolt EV is the winner of the 2018 Canadian Green Car of the Year (CGCOTY) and Kia Niro is the winner of the 2018 Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year (CGUVOTY).

“The Green Car awards have become only more relevant over the years,” says AJAC President Mark Richardson. “It’s more important than ever for AJAC’s members to recognize the most environmentally-aware vehicles that are available to Canadian drivers, and to tell the buying public about them. These vehicles are the future of transportation and they contribute in their own way to the future of our planet.”

Entries for these awards must meet the standard requirements for initial entry into the Canadian Car of the Year awards program, plus additional criteria for fuel efficiency based on the vehicle’s size, powertrain and purpose. In today’s market, “green” cars come in many styles, sizes, price-points and vehicle categories.

Canadian Green Car and Green Utility Vehicle of the Year contenders were tested extensively by AJAC’s Canadian auto experts from coast to coast who score all eligible entries on parameters including recharge time, driving range, vehicle dynamics, market significance, and overall value.

Each of the scores is then weighted for relevance to the vehicle and category in question. The winning score also represents how the vehicle stacks up to its market segment competition, whether green or otherwise.

All entries were tested throughout 2017, including back-to-back testing on roads across the country and in varying weather conditions. The vehicles are first scored under AJAC’s standard Canadian Car of the Year program protocol, which considers subjective and objective data for scoring, and then further evaluated based on a specific set of “green” criteria in addition to their other scores.

The finalists leading up to the winners were:

2018 Canadian Green Car of the Year (CGCOTY):

• Chevrolet Bolt EV
• Hyundai IONIQ Electric
• Volkswagen e-Golf

2018 Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year (CGUVOTY).

• Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
• Kia Niro
• Subaru Crosstrek