EV Car Of The Year?

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Few cars on the road are EVs. In the US, the figure is little more than 2%. If California is removed from the equation, the figure is closer to 1%. Yet, EVs are widely admired for their technology, often sophisticated driver assistance, and elegant design.

Among the most prestigious awards for car excellence is the North American Car of the Year. Fifty journalists choose awards in three categories–Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle. Three finalists in each of these categories were just announced. Out of the total of nine, five are EVs. This includes all three finalists in the Utility Vehicle categories.

The 2024 car finalists are the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 (EV), and the Toyota Prius/Prius Prime. The truck finalists are the Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the Ford Super Duty. The utility vehicle finalists are the Genesis Electrified GV70 (EV), the Kia EV9 (EV), and the Volvo EX30 (EV) The list of nine was winnowed down from an original list of 52.

Axios made a point that is not entirely true. “More than half of the finalists for North America’s best car, truck, and SUV run on electricity, not gasoline — a strong indication of where the industry is headed.” There is much debate about whether the number of EVs on the road will match these forecasts by the end of the decade.

Two years ago, Ford was rash enough to say that 40% of its global sales would be EVs by 2030. The Ford management said it would have to spend $8 billion to reach that goal. According to The Washington Post, Ford’s optimism has been tempered:

“Ford now expects a production rate of 600,000 EVs a year at some point in 2024, CEO Jim Farley said Thursday while discussing the company’s latest earnings report. The company previously said it would reach that pace by the end of the year.”

EV demand, Ford management said, was not what it had expected. According to Ford, a primary reason is EV prices. However, range is another issue, as is the number of charging stations.

North American Car of the Year Awards will go to several vehicles that almost no one will drive.