The ground-breaking 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV was announced as the 2017 Canadian Green Car Award winner today, with GM’s newest electric vehicle recognized for its unique combination of long distance (383 km) all-electric range, consumer-friendly pricing, and game-changing environmental impact.
The award was presented to the Bolt after a group of top 13 Canadian auto journalists (including yours truly) test drove it and its rivals, plus factored in related vehicle and corporate green initiatives, to determine which vehicle provided the most significant overall combination of market appeal and environmental benefits.
The Bolt EV was presented its overall Canadian Green Car award by Andrew Horsman, executive director of Ontario Tire Stewardship, at the official opening of the Green Living Show in Toronto, where the Bolt EV and five other award CGCA finalists will be on display all weekend.
“It’s a true honour for Chevrolet to be recognized again with the Canadian Green Car Award, with Volt in 2016 and now the game-changing Bolt EV in 2017”, said Matthew Stokes, assistant brand manager for Chevrolet in Canada. “Chevrolet is committed to innovation and electrification and we are proud to sell more plug-in electric vehicles in Canada than any other brand.”
Those six CGCA finalists on display all won their respective categories in the Canadian Green Car competition:
• The Bolt EV for Zero Emissions vehicles, which includes all-electric vehicles and fuel cells.
• The 2017 Chevrolet Volt in Plug-in Hybrid, the defending 2016 Canadian Green Car winner, for vehicles powered by grid-generated electricity as well as liquid fuel.
• Hyundai Ioniq won for Conventional Hybrid, the Korean company’s all-new super-efficient gas-electric hybrid hatchback.
• Honda Civic won for Efficient Internal Combustion Vehicles, either gas or diesel-powered.
• Chrysler’s Pacifica Hybrid won in Efficient Three-Row Family Vehicle, the Pacifica’s 48 kilometres of all-electric plug-in range impressing judges for a runaway win in this category.
• Jaguar XE 2.0D for Fun Car, recognizing efficient vehicles worthy of consideration by driving enthusiasts, the new Jaguar impressing with its diesel four-cylinder engine’s mix of power, efficiency and refinement.
The Bolt was the overwhelming favourite for the overall Canadian Green Car award, with first place votes from 11 of the 13 judges in the final round of voting against all category winners.
“Our list of category winners this year was exceptional, however in the end our judges felt that the Chevrolet Bolt EV with its game-changing range and competitive price point was most deserving of being named overall winner,” said Eric Novak of EnviroDad.com, the award’s co-creator and fellow member of the award’s steering committee, noting that the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in minivan was the only other finalist to garner first place votes.
The 2017 competition began many months ago, with the Award Steering Committee selecting three nominees in each of the six categories, based on meeting essential “green” criteria related to technology type and fuel economy.
The most unique part of this away is that each year, the fuel economy criteria are made increasingly stringent, in line with government standards that require, on average, a five per cent improvement annually until 2025.
Entries in the Fun Car category, demonstrating that “green” can be synonymous with driving pleasure and excitement, also required the ability to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 7.5 seconds or less.
The judges then evaluated the nominees, including test drives, data from manufacturers and their own experience, to nominate the six category winners.
Finally, the judges selected the overall winner, announced today, from among the category winners.
This open process, in which eligibility doesn’t depend on whether a manufacturer is willing to pay a substantial entry fee, is in line with other global green car awards and makes the program a very meaningful gauge for consumers.
The award-winning Bolt will actually be available to test drive at the show throughout the weekend, along with the BMW i3, plus the Ford C-Max Energi and Focus EV plug-in hatchbacks at the Plug'nDrive booth near the main stage.
Prior winners include Ford’s Fusion Hybrid in the inaugural 2013 Canadian Green Car Award, followed in 2014 by the Honda Accord Hybrid, the Kia Soul EV in 2015 and, last year, the Chevrolet Volt.
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