Winner to be announced April 7 at the Green Living Show, Toronto
Judges have begun to evaluate 18 vehicles in what is likely the tightest competition since the Canadian Green Car Award was launched five years ago.
Over the next six weeks, the judges, among Canada’s most respected automotive journalists, will drive and assess three vehicles nominated in each of six Award categories. They will then choose the overall Award winner from their top picks in the six categories.
The category and overall Awards, intended to honour the vehicles with the greatest potential to benefit our environment, will be presented on Friday April 7, at the annual Green Living Show in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
“The list of nominee vehicles demonstrates the impressive development of all forms of green vehicles,” says Eric Novak, co-creator of the annual Award. “Exciting new technologies and designs in everything from economy cars to minivans mean that green cars are increasingly appealing to all segments of the automotive market, and selecting winners will be a daunting challenge for the judges.”
The judges will assess not only the contestants’ environmental attributes but also their overall consumer appeal, since vehicles will have a much greater “green” impact if they sell in large numbers.
The six categories* include: Zero Emission (battery-electric or fuel cell); Plug-in Hybrid; Conventional Hybrid; Efficient Gasoline or Diesel Internal Combustion; Efficient “Family Hauler,” with at least three rows of seats; and Fun Car.
The category winners will be announced in late March, before the final round of judging to select the overall winner.
“Green cars are rapidly becoming more diverse and better able to meet the needs of all drivers and their families,” says Laurie Simmonds, CEO, Green Living Enterprises, which operates the Show and will host the Award ceremony. People attending the Show will have the opportunity to view and test drive the most innovative technologies on the market.
“The Canadian Green Car Award is an independent event, but it meshes with our focus on helping consumers find the most attractive and fuel-efficient solutions for their transportation needs from among an impressive array of green options. We believe the Award is among the key reasons that automakers are continually upping their game.”
This is the fifth year for the Award. Previous overall winners include the Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Accord hybrid, Kia Soul EV and Chevrolet Volt.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Canadian Green Car Award Recap
At the start of the competition, the four-member Award Steering Committee selected the three nominees in each category. Except for the Zero Emission and Plug-in Hybrid categories, a key criterion at this stage was the ability to meet the Award’s increasingly stringent fuel consumption and emissions limits. These limits get tougher each year to ensure the Award recognizes companies that keep in step, and even go above and beyond, government-mandated improvements in fuel efficiency.
This process, in line with other global Green Car awards, is intended to ensure that every vehicle meeting the basic criteria is considered and, in turn, make the Award a fair and useful guide for car buyers.
The category and overall winners are selected through a combination of factual data and judges’ assessments based on test drives, experience and manufacturers’ information.
The environmental benefits considered include fuel efficiency, tailpipe emissions, the use of sustainable or recyclable materials and measures taken by manufacturers to green their operations. Elements that influence consumer appeal include range, price, safety aids, comfort and connectivity features, performance, and build quality.
Here are this year’s category finalists:
Zero Emission
CHEVROLET BOLT
FORD FOCUS EV
HYUNDAI IONIQ
Plug-in Hybrid
FORD C-MAX ENERGI
FORD FUSION ENERGI
CHEVROLET VOLT
Hybrid
CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID
HYUNDAI IONIQ HEV
KIA NIRO HEV
Efficient Gasoline or Diesel Internal Combustion
HONDA CIVIC
JAGUAR XF 2.0D
CHEVROLET CRUZE
Efficient Three-Row Vehicle
CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID
MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER
MAZDA 5
Fun Car
JAGUAR XE 2.0D
TESLA MODEL S
TESLA MODEL X
*Basic criteria for each category:
1. Zero-emission: Battery electric, fuel cell or other zero-emission technology
2. Plug-in hybrid.
3. Conventional hybrid-electric: Must have combined fuel economy of 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres or lower, according to the five-cycle Natural Resources Canada Fuel Consumption Rating or, if that is not yet available, the equivalent U.S. EPA rating.
4. Gasoline or diesel internal combustion: Must have combined fuel economy of 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres or lower.
5. Efficient Three-Row: A passenger vehicle of any propulsion technology with at least three forward-facing rows of seating, accommodating at least six occupants. If powered by gasoline or diesel internal combustion, or a conventional hybrid, it must have a combined fuel economy of 10.0 litres per 100 kilometres or lower.
6. Fun car: Any passenger vehicle of any propulsion technology that accelerates from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 7.5 seconds or faster. If powered by gasoline or diesel internal combustion, or a conventional hybrid, it must have a combined fuel economy of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres or lower.
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