EVs continue to grow in popularity and nowhere was that more evident in the naming of the semifinalists for the 2023 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year awards. Twenty of the 26 vehicles advancing were battery electrics.
“That’s right,” said NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg during the announcement at the Detroit Auto Show. “Twenty of them are battery electrics, indicative of the rapidly growing number of (battery electrics) coming to market these days.”
The 50 jurors whittled the list down from 47 vehicles, including 31 SUVs or crossovers. It was the highest number of eligible vehicles, according to NACTOY officials, in the 29-year history of the awards. The 26 semifinalists include 10 cars, three trucks and 13 crossovers and SUVs.
Many of the journalists who voted noted that the overwhelming number of battery-electric models advancing suggest that the current crop of EVs aren’t gaining in popularity because of mandates or government programs, but because they’re simply better vehicles.
In fact, the top selling EVs in the U.S. come from Tesla, which hasn’t been eligible for any type of federal tax credit for nearly two years.
The survivors
The semifinalists for North American Car of the Year include:
- Acura Integra
- Genesis G80 EV
- Genesis G90
- Mercedes-Benz C Class
- Mercedes-Benz EQE
- Nissan Z
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Crown
- Toyota GR Corolla
The North American Truck of the Year semifinalists are:
- Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- Lordstown Endurance
Meanwhile the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year contenders include:
- Audi Q4 e-tron
- Cadillac Lyriq
- Genesis GV60
- Honda CR-V
- Honda HR-V
- Kia EV6
- Kia Sportage
- Lexus RX
- Mazda CX-50
- Nissan Ariya
- Rivian R1S
- Volvo C40 Recharge
The next round
An important next step in the year-long process is an annual comparison drive that will take place Oct. 17-20, where jurors will evaluate the semifinalist vehicles before voting to select the three finalists in each group. The finalists will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 16, and winners will be announced at a special event in Detroit on Jan. 11, 2023.
