Ultra low emission vehicles have been recognised by two prestigious awards in the last 24 hours with Mitsubishi, Tesla, and Renault given prizes by the Fleet World Honours and Auto Express Driver Power Awards.
Tesla ran away with the number one prize in the Auto Express Driver Power Awards 2016, beating fellow all-electric model – the Renault Zoe – into second spot overall with its Model S. The Driver Power awards are the UK’s largest automotive customer satisfaction survey and show that electric vehicles prove not just easy to drive, but easy to live with too.
The Tesla’s score of 97.46 was a huge margin of victory over Renault’s Zoe, with 93.57, considering second to fifth were all in the 93’s. Based on 10 judging categories including reliability, build quality, running costs, performance, ease of driving, and comfort, the Model S came top in a table of 150 models after almost 50,000 car owners were surveyed on 32 different makes and 183 models.
It is the first time the Tesla was in the poll with the awards commenting: “Few cars have dominated Driver Power in the way that our 2016 winner has. The Model S’s overall score is a record high and the all-electric executive saloon takes a staggering seven category wins.”
Renault’s Zoe took second place overall and first in the supermini category, with Brian Walters, Director, Research and Insights at Driver Power, saying: “With the Renault Zoe the best performing supermini in terms of Running Costs; Performance; Ride Quality; Ease of Driving and In-Car Technology, it proves that superminis can excel in many judging categories long thought to be the domain of premium marques.”
In the Fleet World Honours though it was the Outlander PHEV that triumphed, taking the Best Ultra Low Emission Vehicle title for the second year running. Presenting the award, Steve Moody, Fleet World editor, said: “A global sales phenomenon, the Outlander PHEV has introduced more than 21,000 UK drivers to the benefits of electric motoring, and it’s revolutionised Mitsubishi’s fleet presence. Low CO2 emissions of 42 g/km make this capacious, well-equipped SUV an accessible company car, while updates last year have broadened its appeal still further. It’s a true game-changer.”
Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: “The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is different to other hybrids in the market and we are so pleased that it has won this award at the Fleet World Honours for the second year running.
“People are increasingly attracted to environmental credentials, performance and the economy that can be delivered, but still want to have a vehicle that is great to drive, so it’s no surprise the Outlander PHEV has generated such interest from fleet operators and leasing companies. The judges described it as a “game-changer” and that is absolutely right because the Outlander PHEV has transformed the UK’s plug-in hybrid sector.”
