This is our fourth year of these awards and as always, all the cars we tested over the past 12 months have come under close scrutiny to be in with a chance of winning the coveted trophy. If you are feeling a bit sad that there will be no more Gavin & Stacey, fear not as we are here. Get ready for all the winners and runners-up as we count down to the big one – the AutoEV Car of the Year 2024.

Best Urban EV 2024

Best Compact Family EV 2024

Best Mid-sized Family EV 2024

Best Large Family EV 2024

Best Premium EV 2024

Money-no-Object Award 2024

Most Disappointing EV 2024

AutoEV Innovation Award 2024

AutoEV Viewer’s Choice 2024

AutoEV’s Car of the Year 2024

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Today, Mercedes-Benz unveil their new, all electric luxury car, the EQS. This is the first Mercedes-Benz designed as an electric car from the start and it sits atop the company’s EQ sub-brand.

It sits on an all-new electric platform that is scalable, meaning that all future electric models from the company will use it in some form. The batteries can be had up to a maximum capacity of 108kWh meaning that according to the WLTP cycle, this car is capable of up to 478 miles. Helping achieve that range is clever battery management, cell density and the fact that the EQS is the world’s most aerodynamic production car at 0.20cd. The car can also accept charge at a rate of 200kW meaning it has the ability to add 186 miles in just 15 minutes from a charger capable of delivering that.

As you would expect from a Mercedes-Benz using the ‘S’ nomenclature, the EQS is a technological tour de force. As well as having the capability of level 3 autonomy when available, it features the new MBUX Hyperscreen on the interior. The immersive display stretches across the facia and allows the front passenger to watch a movie whilst the driver concentrates on the instruments directly in front of them and navigation or functions in the centre. Rear passengers can also access controls via voice-activation.

The styling is sleeker, more coupe-like in its design, more akin to the CLS rather than the more traditional look of an S-Class, but there is no mistaking it for anything other than a Mercedes-Benz, albeit a very futuristic one. The company calls it a ‘One-bow design’ with the roofline and glasshouse flowing in an arc from front to rear, and the traditional Mercedes-Benz grille is replaced with a black panel with a prominent three-pointed star embedded in it.

This is a show of strength from Mercedes-Benz, and a very dominant message that they are taking electrification and sustainability very seriously against the newer, more youthful players in the market.

A legacy car maker they may be, but if the new EQS drives and performs as good as it looks, then the message is clear: they are very much in the fight.

We look forward to bringing you more information on the EQS soon.

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Audi has unveiled the production version of its fourth dedicated electric vehicle, the Q4 E-tron.

Based on parent company Volkswagen’s MEB platform that currently underpins the VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq, the Q4 E-tron is being produced in two distinct body styles, the standard SUV, and the sleeker, more coupe like Sportback.

The car features the same skateboard architecture of its VW and Skoda cousins, meaning the batteries are positioned under and along the car allowing for a long wheelbase, and therefore, a commodious interior. We praised the ID.4 for its interior space when we drove it, so this bodes well for the Q4 E-tron.

Three powertrains will be offered initially in the UK, with the choice of rear or all-wheel drive. The Q4 35 E-tron starts things off with a rear-mounted motor delivering 168bhp and 229lb ft of torque. The battery is 52kWh in useable capacity allowing for a WLTP range of 208 miles.

The range progresses then to the rear-wheel-drive Q4 40 E-tron which raises the power to 201bhp although torque remains at 229lb ft. The battery is now 77kWh allowing for a range of 316 miles on the WLTP cycle.

For the moment, the range is topped by the Q4 50 E-tron quattro which delivers its 295bhp and 339lb ft torque through all four wheels to allow a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds. It to uses the 77kWh battery, although the range drops slightly to 295 miles.

Four trims are available at launch, Sport, S Line, Edition 1 and Vorsprung with prices ranging from £40,750 up to £51,370. Prices for the Sportback variant have yet to be confirmed, but are likely to command a small premium over the SUV body style.

The cars will be built alongside the VW ID.4 at the company’s Zwickau factory where the Cupra Born hatchback (another of the MEB based family) will join them by the end of 2021. There is also plans for the car to be built in China, although there is no word on whether it will join the ID.4 as a US built car.

The SUV is available to order now for June delivery with the Sportback order book opening in June for September delivery.

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MG Cyberster

Debuting at the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show later in April will be the MG Cyberster concept car.  A fully electric, two-seater roadster that harks back to MG’s roots as a sports car manufacturer, the car is said to deliver a range of over 500 miles and a 0-62mph time of less than 3 seconds. 

It’s design was developed at the company’s Advanced Design Centre in London and features the classic round headlamp design that sits at either end of the slim grille.  A thin ‘laser belt’ LED strip runs down the side of the car and the outline of the door.  It is a car that is, according to Carl Gotham, Director of SAIC Design Advanced London, “A bold statement that looks strongly into MG’s future, touching on our heritage but more importantly building on our cutting edge technology and advanced design.”  He goes on to say that “Sports cars are the lifeblood of the MG DNA and Cyberster is a hugely exciting concept for us”.

MG Cars have been hinting for a while now about returning to the sports car arena, and with even more models in the pipeline, we wouldn’t be surprised if a productionised version of the Cyberster wasn’t being thought about as a future MG.

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As we are about to see in our in-depth interview with a certain Mr Charley Boorman in the next issue of the AutoEV magazine (coming soon), motorbike manufacturers have been way behind the curve of adopting and developing EV powertrains.  Away from some of the lesser well known brands, it’s really only Harley Davidson that has embraced the electric revolution with its Livewire model, and even then, as Charley mentions, who expected that from them?

Well things might be about to change with one of the biggest names in the business, Triumph, showing their hand with a little help from Williams Advanced Engineering.  Triumph’s TE-1 project will, according to WAE, “set new standards for electric bike performance, with class-leading power, efficiency, charging time and range”.

WAE have been wholly responsible for the TE-1’s lightweight, ground-breaking battery system, employing what they describe as a holistic approach to development which will allow the rider to use more electric power for longer, alongside rapid charging times.

A collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick, the TE-1 project started way back in 2019 and has been focused on developing specialist electric motorcycle technology and innovative integrated solutions.

Ok, that’s all well and good, but what about some numbers?  Well, the battery has a peak power of 170kW and continuous power of 90kW with a capacity of 15kWh.  This allows the ‘bike to deliver 130kW of peak power and 80kW of continuous power.  The 360 volt system will also allow fast-charging to give 0-80% capacity in under 20 minutes.  No range figure has been published, except to say that it will be class-leading.

What is impressive is the approach to developing this with the aim of performance above all else.  Dyrr Ardash, Senior Commercial Manager at Williams Advanced Engineering, says “Additionally, we have pushed the limits of performance by balancing the battery for acceleration and range, with simulations modelledon track-based riding.  In other words, as aggressive as possible.”  He goes on to say, “What’s more, we have also reduced mass and optimised frame position to benefit handling too.”

As we have seen in the four-wheeled world, when someone like Porsche brings out a game-changer like the Taycan, people take notice.  Maybe now Triumph, with a little help from Williams, will create a similar reaction from the ‘bike world.

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A little earlier than had originally been planned, BMW have taken the wraps off the new i4, its all-electric, 4 door Gran Coupe.

With a suggested WLTP range of up to 366 miles, the i4 is powered by a 530bhp motor capable of sprinting the car from rest to 60mph in around 4 seconds. It is possible that this will be the first of BMW’s electric range to be adorned with the hallowed ‘M’ badge, albeit not a fully-fledged member as it is likely to be badge i4 M.

The design stays relatively true to the preview concept shown in 2020, and the car joins the i3, iX3 midsize SUV and larger iX SUV in an ever-expanding range of EVs that is due from the Munich firm.  It’s plan is to have 12 pure electric vehicles on sale by 2023 with an electric option available in 90% of its market sectors.

The i4 will be available from later this year.

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Today, Kia has taken the wraps off of its new electric vehicle, the EV6. Based on the brand’s E-GMP modular platform, which it will share with its sister company Hyundai for its Ioniq 5, the new EV6 is a similar, 5 door hatchback with the latest interpretation of Kia’s ‘Tiger Nose Grille’ and crossover-inspired design aesthetic.

As the company’s first, dedicated EV, the EV6 features a much more spacious interior than the external dimensions suggest thanks to innovative design and the new platform. Like the Ioniq 5, the car is packed with 800V hardware which means it can take charging speeds of up to 220kW. This will allow a 10% – 80% refill would take just 18 minutes, and a suggested 310 miles of range from its 72.6kWh battery.

The car is also designed to be much more focussed towards dynamics than the company’s current offerings like the e-Niro and Soul, with a 0-62mph sprint of just 5 seconds being on the cards.

Inside, the design language follows a similar giant leap forward with an expansive and immersive one-piece curved display featuring both the infotainment screen and the instrument cluster. A separate haptic control panel is used for operating eth climate control, and the seats are much slimmer in build, again, giving more interior space.

Prices for the UK have yet to be announced, but should be made known closer towards its on-sale date sometime later in 2021.

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Kia already have a good lead in the EV market with the fabulous E-Niro and the Soul compact crossovers. Yet as good as these cars are, they share their platforms with internal combustion-engine variants meaning they have to be compromised in some way.

Well now Kia has teased us with this, the EV6, a dedicated BEV that shares its E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) with the recently announced Ioniq 5 from sister brand, Hyundai. Kia’s shift towards full electrification will see seven new electric vehicles launched by the company between now and 2027, all adopting the new ‘EV’ naming policy. According to Kia, this will bring simplicity and consistency to their EV nomenclature across all their global markets.

A compact, sporty crossover (what else?), the EV6 is, according to Karim Habib, Senior VP and Head of Kia Global Design Centre, “an embodiment of both our brand purpose, ‘Movement that inspires’, and our new design philosophy. It has been designed to inspire every journey by offering an instinctive and natural experience that improves the daily lives of our customers, and provide user ownership that is simple, intuitive and integrated.”. We are just glad that it looks a little bit more interesting than the rather insipid Niro.

A range of up to 310 miles is mooted, and the car will premier in the coming months. Meanwhile, some teaser images have been released, and surely we can’t be the only ones joyed by the Maserati-inspired boomerang rear lights?

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Porsche have turned their 2018 Mission E Cross Turismo concept into a production reality by unveiling the new Taycan Cross Turismo. A fully-electric, slightly more rugged looking shooting brake variant of their stupendous sports saloon, the new Taycan Cross Turismo features an all wheel drive platform and air suspension that allows for those times when you want to venture off the tarmac. This is standard across the Cross Turismo range, and can be extended further with an optional Off-Road Design Package that increases the ground clearance by a further 10mm, for a total of 30mm versus the saloon.  In this guise, the car can cover a variety of mixed surfaces and uneven tracks, helped by the standard ‘Gravel Mode’ that optimises the chassis, traction and throttle for those excursions down a muddy or gravel road.

Additional wheel arch extensions, along with unique front and rear lower aprons and side sills add to the looks, and the extended roof line and rear hatch aid the practicality increasing luggage capacity to a maximum of 1,200 litres of space with the rear seats folded.

Four derivatives are available, the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo with up to 476PS starting at just over £79,000 through the Taycan 4S Cross Turismo with up to 490PS at £87,820. The range is topped by the Turbo and Turbo S with 680PS and 761PS and priced at £116,950 and £139,910 respectively.

All models feature the 93.4kWh Performance Plus Battery which allows a range of between 240 – 280 miles depending on model according to WLTP figures.

And as if to confirm the added spirit of adventure, Porsche have developed a rear carrier specifically for the car that can carry up to 3 bikes, as well as showing two new eBikes, the eBike Cross and eBike Sport.

With the addition of the new Cross Turismo, the Taycan range now spans eight models and two bodystyles, making this a very flexible, performance-orientated EV.

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Volvo has shown its next model in its step towards electrification in the shape of the new C40, essentially a coupe variant of its current XC40 compact SUV.

Utilising the same powertrain as the XC40 P8 Recharge and the Polestar 2, the car develops 402bhp from its twin motors, resulting in a sprightly 4.9 seconds dash from rest to 62mph.  A standard 78kWh battery offers a potential range of up to 260 miles and will take a charging speed of up to 150kW where 80% charge can be achieved in around 40 minutes.

In another relatively bold move, Volvo have also announced that all its electric models will only be available to buy on-line, either outright, or on Volvo’s Care by Volvo subscription service.

The car is due to go into production this autumn with deliveries due before the start of 2022.

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