Ioniq 5 and EV6 Selected as Finalists for '2022 European Car of the Year'

Will It Be the First Ever 'European Car of the Year' Title Holder?
Ioniq 5 Previously Named 'Germany Car of the Year' in the Automotive Kingdom

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hyundai Motor Company and Kia's first dedicated electric vehicles, the Ioniq 5 and EV6, have both been selected as final nominees for the '2022 European Car of the Year.' This is seen as recognition of Hyundai Motor Group's electric vehicle competitiveness across the European market.

According to Hyundai Motor Group on the 30th, the Ioniq 5 and EV6 made it to the Final Shortlist for the 2022 European Car of the Year. The seven models on the Final Shortlist include the Ioniq 5, EV6, ▲Ford Mustang Mach-E ▲Renault Megane E-Tech ▲Skoda Enyaq iV ▲Cupra Born (Cupra is SEAT's high-performance brand) ▲Peugeot 308. Except for the Peugeot 308, all are electrified models.

The Ioniq 5 and EV6 were selected as final candidates for European Car of the Year after evaluations by a jury of 61 experts from 23 countries, surpassing about 60 new models released this year. The final results for the seven models will be announced in February next year.

The Ioniq 5 and EV6, which first applied Hyundai Motor Group's dedicated electric vehicle platform E-GMP, have maximum driving ranges of 481 km and 528 km respectively on a single charge (based on WLTP standards). Equipped with 800V charging technology, they can charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes using a fast charger. They are also noted for V2L (Vehicle to Load) technology, which allows the use of general power sources.

Industry insiders are paying close attention to the performance of the Ioniq 5 and EV6 in the 2022 European Car of the Year selection process. Previously, Kia's Stinger and Ceed were nominated in 2018-2019, but none were ultimately selected as European Car of the Year.

The current atmosphere is positive. In the case of the Ioniq 5, it was recently selected as the '2022 Germany Car of the Year' just six months after its launch in the European market. This means it was chosen as Car of the Year in Germany, known as the kingdom of automobiles, surpassing domestic brands.

Michael Cole, Head of Hyundai Motor Europe, said, "This award further highlights that the Ioniq 5 is an exceptional and innovative battery-based electric vehicle that stands out in its competitive field." Jung Won-jung, Head of Kia Europe, also stated, "Since Kia Ceed and Stinger were nominated as final candidates, the EV6 being newly nominated as European Car of the Year recognizes Kia's progress and also highlights our efforts to provide 'sustainable mobility solutions.'"