In a show of just how well made and innovative some of the electric vehicles out there currently are, Wards Auto recently included two of them in its 2016 Ward’s 10 Best Engines nominations list.
The two electric vehicles (EVs) in question are: the BMW i3, with a 127 kilowatt (kW) battery-electric drivetrain; and the Chevy Volt, with a 1.5 L extended-range electric vehicle drivetrain. The 31-strong nomination list also includes the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV), with its 100 kW fuel cell electric drivetrain.
Given the very positive receptions that the BMW i3 and the 2016 Chevy Volt have received, I’m doubting that anyone really feels all that surprised to see any of this, though the lack of a Tesla offering makes me wonder. Is it simply owing to there being no model year updates/changes in the newest Model Ss?
For some further background here, the 31-models nomination list was put together by a groups of 8 editors at Wards Auto. The 10 winners are currently set to be revealed on December 10.
Here’s the full nomination list (for those interested), via Wards Auto:
- BMW i3 127 kW battery-electric
- BMW 340i / 3.0L turbo I-6
- Cadillac ATS / 3.6L V-6
- Cadillac ATS-V / 3.6L twin-turbo V-6
- Chevrolet Malibu / 1.5L turbo 4-cyl.
- Chevrolet Volt / 1.5L EREV
- Chevrolet Colorado / 2.8L turbodiesel 4-cyl.
- Chevrolet Impala CNG / 3.6L flex-fuel V-6
- Chevrolet Camaro / 6.2L LT1 small block V-8
- Ford Focus / 1.0L EcoBoost 3-cyl.
- Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang / 5.2L V-8
- Honda Civic / 1.5L turbo 4-cyl.
- Honda Civic / 2.0L i-VTEC 4-cyl.
- Hyundai Tucson FCV / 100 kW fuel cell EV
- Hyundai Tucson / 1.6L turbo 4-cyl.
- Hyundai Sonata Hybrid / 2.0L DI Atkinson 4-cyl.
- Hyundai Sonata PHEV / 2.0L DI Atkinson 4-cyl.
- Hyundai Elantra / 2.0L MPI Atkinson 4-cyl.
- Jeep Grand Cherokee / 3.6L Pentastar V-6
- Mercedes C450 AMG / 3.0L bi-turbo V-6
- Mini Cooper Hardtop / 1.5L turbo 3-cyl.
- Mini John Cooper Works / 2.0L turbo 4-cyl.
- Nissan Maxima / 3.5L VQ V-6
- Nissan Titan XD / 5.0L turbodiesel V-8
- Ram 1500 / 3.0L turbodiesel V-6
- Smart Fortwo / 0.9L 3-cyl.
- Subaru WRX / 2.0L turbo 4-cyl. boxer
- Toyota Prius / 4-cyl. hybrid
- Toyota Tacoma / 3.5L 2GR-FKS V-6
- Volvo S60 / 2.0L T5 turbo 4-cyl.
- Volvo XC90 / 2.0L T6 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl.