An electric car has won one of motoring’s most prestigious awards

Last night, the Kia e-Niro electric vehicle was named What Car?’s 2019 Car of the Year

Electric cars are the future of how we travel. Thanks to What Car?, the UK’s biggest car buying brand, we now have even more confirmation of the exciting evolution taking place in the automotive industry.

Last night, at their annual Car of the Year Awards ceremony, the prestigious car publication named the Kia e-Niro as its car of the year. Beating 23 other category winners to take the overall title, the car is the first electric vehicle to win What Car?’s top prize, as well as the prize for the Electric Car of the Year.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford explained that it’s the way that the e-Niro has allayed usual fears of first-time electric car buyers that has led to much of its success. He said, ‘The e-Niro stood out because it addresses the key issues of cost and range [a Real Range of 253 miles] that have traditionally prevented many motorists from taking the plunge into EV ownership. Here is a spacious and practical family SUV that demands very few compromises.’

Paul Philpott, president and CEO of Kia Motors UK, was delighted with the win saying, ‘This marks an important milestone in the Awards as we approach the tipping point where every motorist will be seriously considering buying an electric car as their next car…The future is definitely electric and with this decision What Car? is pushing even harder on an opening door.”

Other winners on the night included the Mercedes Benz S-Class Cabriolet for Convertible of the Year, Kia Pica for City Car of the Year, the Volvo XC90 T8 for Plug In Hybrid of the Year,  and the BMW 3 Series for Executive Car of the Year.

Several major manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Honda and Nissan, are all looking to launch new models of electric vehicles in the next 12 months. 2019 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for those in the market for electric cars, with the debut of the sleek Mercedes-Benz EQC, as well as the upcoming Audi etron, which has already raised industry eyebrows with the option of in-car VR integration demoed at CES 2019.

Choosing an electric vehicle over petrol and diesel alternatives is becoming an increasingly mainstream choice. For us? It’s a no-brainer, and we can't wait to see what's next.