The Road to World Car journey concluded at the New York International Auto Show with the declaration of the Nissan LEAF as the 2018 World Green Car.
The Nissan LEAF won the overall World Car of the Year title in 2011, while the Nissan GT-R won the 2009 World Performance Car award.
“We’re very proud that since Nissan LEAF launched in 2010, we’ve been able to put more than 300,000 zero-emission electric vehicles on the road worldwide, helping to reduce carbon footprints around the globe,” said Daniele Schillaci, executive vice president, global marketing and sales, zero emission vehicle and battery business, and chairman of the management committee for Japan/A&O (Japan, Asia, Oceania Business), Nissan Motor Co. “We’re honored to be recognized by this esteemed jury and proud to continue to expand the vision of Nissan Intelligent Mobility.”
The Nissan LEAF was chosen from an initial entry list of four new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists as announced in Geneva earlier this month: the BMW 530e iPerformance, Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid and Nissan LEAF.
To be eligible for the 2018 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning Jan. 1, 2017 and ending May 31, 2018. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle’s environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.
Previous World Green Car winners were: the Toyota Prius Prime (2017), the Toyota Mirai (2016), the BMWi8 (2015) and the BMW i3 (2014), then the Tesla Model S (2013), the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (2012), the Chevrolet Volt (2011), the Volkswagen BlueMotion (2010), the Honda FCX Clarity (2009), the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics (2008), the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec (2007) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (2006).
Vehicles in all award categories are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 82 top-level automotive journalists from 24 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors’ ballots.
“The New York International Auto Show is proud of the tradition it has built with the World Car Awards to recognize the ‘best of the best’ in the auto industry,” said John LaSorsa, chairman of the New York International Auto Show. “Over the past 12 years this awards program has grown to become one of the most coveted honors for the world’s automakers.”
