The Hyundai Motor Group’s Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 have each been selected for the respective Luxury and New Energy categories at the ‘2024 Germany Car of the Year’, advancing to the final candidate stage for Car of the Year in Germany.
The EV9 received accolades for its luxurious design and a variety of cutting-edge features, surpassing notable competitors like BMW’s XM and Lexus’s RZ to secure a place in the Luxury category of the Germany Car of the Year competition.
Jung Won-Jeong, Executive Vice President of Kia’s European regional headquarters, stated, “With the EV9 set to launch in the European market, this recognition serves to validate its excellent product competitiveness,” and added, “We will lead the electric vehicle market in Europe with the new flagship model, the EV9.”
The Ioniq 6 garnered praise for its unique design and excellent charging technology, overcoming competitors such as the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and Rolls-Royce Spectre to be named the New Energy Car of the Year.
Hyundai Motor Group has seen the Ioniq 5 win the 2022 Germany Car of the Year, the EV6 earn accolades as the 2022 Germany Car of the Year in the premium category, and the GV60 win the 2023 Germany Car of the Year in the premium category. With the recognition of the EV9 and Ioniq 6, all dedicated electric vehicles based on the E-GMP platform have been recognized for their eco-friendly technological prowess and market appeal in Germany, the largest EV market in Europe.
The Germany Car of the Year, now in its sixth year, evaluates 48 new cars based on practical usability, driving performance, innovation, and market adaptability by a panel of 38 automotive experts. The awards include five categories: Luxury (over €70,000), Premium (€35,000 to under €70,000), Compact (under €35,000), New Energy (electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles), and Performance (high-performance cars). (Note: Volkswagen’s ID.7 won in the Premium category, MG’s MG4 won in the Compact category, and Porsche’s 911 Carrera T won in the Performance category.)
One model from each category is set to be announced as the final selection for the 2024 Germany Car of the Year in early October.
The EV9, a large electric SUV, is slated for release in the European market in the second half of this year. It was named the ‘Most Anticipated Car’ at the 2023 What Car? Car of the Year Awards in January, heightening expectations for its launch.
The EV9 boasts a spacious interior and luxurious design based on a dedicated platform, a driving range of over 501 km on a single charge (with 19-inch wheels, 2WD), a 400V/800V multi-fast charging system, and numerous advanced technologies including Lane Keeping Assist 2, Highway Driving Assist 2, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates, ensuring exceptional product value.
The Ioniq 6 features an impressive drag coefficient of 0.21, the best figure among Hyundai’s models, delivering a high energy consumption efficiency of 6.2 km/kWh (with 18-inch wheels, standard 2WD) and a generous driving range of 524 km on a single charge (with 18-inch wheels, long-range 2WD). It has also received accolades in April as the ‘2023 World Car of the Year’ and from Car and Driver as the ‘2023 Electric Vehicle of the Year.’
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr