Nissan launches a new special edition Black edition LEAF Electric Vehicle.

• Stylish new Nissan LEAF Black Edition is now on sale in the UK, priced from £26,890
• Striking features including exclusive black 16” alloy wheels, black door mirror caps and black roof spoiler
• Based on Acenta grade, model features the latest Nissan technologies, including Intelligent Around View Monitor
• First 200 customers in the UK will receive a free in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot

Nissan’s stylish LEAF Black Edition is now on sale in the UK, priced from £26,890 including the £4,500 government plug-in vehicle grant.

The world’s best-selling electric vehicle is now even more attractive with 0% APR representative finance from £199 per month with no minimum deposit, free insurance in the first year, free servicing in the first two years and a £1,000 Nissan deposit contribution.

Based on the Acenta grade, the Nissan LEAF Black Edition offers cutting-edge design to enhance the LEAF’s smooth and near silent ride with an exclusive new look.

Stylish exterior features include 16” black alloy wheels, LED headlamps, black door mirror caps and black rear roof spoiler. In addition, the Black Edition is completed with blue-stitched mats to give the interior a premium finish.

The Nissan LEAF Black Edition is equipped with Nissan’s latest innovative technology as standard with each model, including the NissanConnect EV telematics system and Intelligent Around View Monitor.

With instantaneous torque, optimised ride and handling and a chassis engineered specifically for UK drivers, the Nissan LEAF delivers a fun and exciting drive every time, but the Black Edition takes it one step further with a stylish new look.

Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe, said: “The new LEAF Black Edition perfectly showcases Nissan’s commitment to making smart, premium quality products accessible for all. This stylish black number combines dynamic styling, with Nissan’s innovative zero-emission technology to offer customers a city-savvy intelligent mobility solution. Its sleek design compliments an exciting drive, delivered through high-class engineering, demonstrating that you don’t have to compromise on style or performance when purchasing an electric car.”

The limited edition model is on sale in the UK from March for a restricted production run up until August 2017, with the first 200 customers receiving a free Wi-Fi hotspot – capable of pairing with up to eight devices.

Nissan pioneered the electric vehicle movement with the launch of the original Nissan LEAF - the world’s first mass-market electric car - in 2010. Since then, Nissan LEAF owners across the globe have travelled more than two billion electric miles, saving nearly 500 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions*.

Today, there are more than 250,000 Nissan LEAFs on the road, making it the best-selling electric vehicle globally. With the LEAF’s 30 kWh battery now offering 155 miles in driving range** driving an electric car is more practical and enjoyable than ever before, providing an easy gateway to a zero-emission future.

Hyundai’s IONIQ has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017.

• Hyundai’s IONIQ, the world’s first car offering three electrified powertrains, has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017
• IONIQ praised for better driving and visual appeal than both Prius and Leaf
• Recognised for being the pioneer of offering three eco drivetrains in one stylish body

The IONIQ has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017, beating competition from the Renault Megane and MINI Clubman.

The IONIQ received praise from all the COTY judges for its green powertrains, combined with a chassis that delivers a good driving experience and its stylish body design. UK COTY judges said:

“IONIQ scores for its choice of three good eco drivetrains and is also decent to drive, with a good ride and refinement.” Paul Hudson

“Hyundai has produced a solid model to take on the competitive segment.” Olivia Gauch

“It’s an intelligent proposition for its flexible electric technology – and the design is edgy enough to reflect this.” Nargess Banks

“Technologically pioneering in terms of the range of powertrains, and the car is stylish and without the compromises offered by other alternative-fuelled vehicles.” Paul Barker

“Out-Priuses the Prius with a three-car range in a single swoop. A very impressive first effort.” Nat Barnes

“The fact it offers three greener powertrains is a masterstroke. Why has nobody done this before? A great reputation for reliability, decent real-world economy from the petrol engine and looks that are sufficient to make a statement without looking polarising.” Keith Jones

“With hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric options, the IONIQ takes on the Toyota Prius (hybrid & plug-in) and Nissan Leaf (EV only) and arguably offers greater attributes than both – from lower prices to better driving and visual appeal.” Guy Bird

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK said “IONIQ has only been available since October yet has already received praise for its eco credentials and also its more mainstream capabilities. The award for Best Small Hatch from the UK COTY judges once again proves that Hyundai is offering exactly what the market wants – eco-friendly vehicles that drive well and look good that are also cost effective to run.”

Ioniq – along with 11 other winning cars – will now go forward to a final category to decide the overall UK Car of the Year 2017. The winner will be announced on 24th February 2017.

USA - The Chevrolet Bolt E.V. takes the 2017 North American car of The Year Award.

• Chevrolet Bolt EV is the 2017 North American Car of the Year.

The Bolt EV’s recognition marks the fourth time in four years that Chevrolet has received the North American Car of the Year or Truck of the Year award, following the Corvette Stingray and Silverado’s wins in 2014 and the Colorado’s award in 2015.

“The Bolt EV fulfills Chevrolet’s promise to offer an affordable, long-range electric,” said Mark Reuss, executive vice president, GM Global Product Development. “It is a game-changer that is not only a great electric vehicle; it’s a great vehicle — period.”

Founded in 1994, the NACTOY group is comprised of 60 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for magazines, television, radio, newspapers and websites. NACTOY jurors evaluated dozens of new vehicles that went on sale this year before selecting the Bolt EV as the 2017 Car of the Year.

Offering an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a full charge at a starting price of $37,495 before federal tax incentives of up to $7,500 depending upon your tax situation, the Bolt EV adds the title of North America Car of the Year to a growing list of independent accolades. Motor Trend® named the Bolt EV the 2017 Car of the Year and it earned a place on the 2017 Car and Driver 10Best Cars list. Green Car Journal also heralded the Bolt EV as the Green Car of the Year and Green Car reports named it the Best New Car to Buy.

Standard Bolt EV features include electronic precision shift, Regen on Demand™ steering wheel paddle and a 10.2-inch-diagonal color touchscreen. The top-trim Premier model adds leather-appointed seats, front and rear heated seats, surround vision camera, rear camera mirror and more.

The Bolt EV rolled into California and Oregon markets last month, with additional markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, including New York, Massachusetts and Virginia, seeing their first deliveries this winter. The Bolt EV will be available at certified dealerships across the U.S. in mid-2017

Hyundai IONIQ Electric wins the Next Green Car's Car Of The Year 2016.

• Hyundai IONIQ Electric wins the Next Green Car's Car Of The Year 2016 as well as winning the Small Family car category.
• The first IONIQ Electrics have already delivered to customers
• IONIQ is the world’s first vehicle to offer 3 electrified powertrains on 1 dedicated platform

The new Hyundai IONIQ has been hailed as Next Green Car’s Car of the Year 2016. Next Green Car’s judges also awarded IONIQ Electric with the top spot in Small Family category, against the Renault Megane, Fiat Tipo and Volvo V40. 

The judges praised IONIQ’s capabilities as an all round family car, as well as its recognised eco credentials as a zero emission electric vehicle.

The Next Green Car judge’s explained the verdicts "It's tough to find any weaknesses with the Hyundai IONIQ Electric. 

Plenty of range-stretching features help make the IONIQ Electric an easy EV to drive over long distances, while the company has also packed in plenty of performance, practicality, and value for money into the package.”

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO Hyundai Motor UK, said “We are very pleased to receive both of these awards from Next Green Car. It is particularly satisfying to hear the judge’s verdicts commending IONIQ Electric for its all round abilities, as it underlines what we already know; that for our customers, the complete vehicle package is just as important as IONIQ’s zero emission performance.”

Hyundai’s IONIQ Hybrid and Electric went on sale at the end of October and since then almost 300 cars have been delivered. Both models will be joined in Hyundai showrooms by IONIQ Plug-in, which begins sales in Q2 2017. The IONIQ range is part of Hyundai Motor Group’s overall plan of launching 28 eco-friendly cars by 2020.

USA - Motor Trend has named the Chevrolet Bolt Electric Vehicle as its 2017 Car Of The Year.

MOTOR TREND has recognized the Chevrolet Bolt EV — the all-new affordable electric vehicle offering an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a full charge — as its 2017 Car of the Year^®.

The editors based their selection on the Bolt EV’s performance in six evaluation categories: advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function.

“Chevrolet is the fastest-growing full-line retail brand in the industry thanks to an exceptional vehicle lineup, which includes ground-breaking products like the Bolt EV,” said Alan Batey, president of GM North America and Global Chevrolet brand chief. “Being recognized once again as MOTOR TREND Car of the Year is a great honour for the entire Chevrolet team.”

It is the fourth MOTOR TREND award for Chevrolet in three years, with the Camaro recognized as the 2016 Car of the Year and Colorado named the 2015 and 2016 Truck of the Year.

“Chevrolet is on a roll with new and compelling vehicles that have reset the bar for trucks in 2015, trucks and sports cars in 2016, and for 2017, electric cars,” said Ed Loh, MOTOR TREND Editor-in-Chief. “The Bolt EV is certainly a game changing vehicle and we look forward to seeing whether we’ll be recognizing another Chevrolet next year in our annual awards.”

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has tipped the 25,000 sales figure, and continues to sell in large numbers.

• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV registrations have topped 25,000 accounting for half of all plug-in hybrids on the road in the UK
• In 2015 the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV claimed 61 percent of a fast-growing segment
• Registrations so far in 2016 remain strong, with new finance offers and a free Chargemaster Homecharger unit now available to Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV customers

Sales of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV have topped the 25,000 mark in the UK, accounting for approximately half of the total number of plug-in hybrids registered in the UK since the very first of such vehicles were registered in 2010.

By the time the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was launched in May 2014, a total of just 2,770 plug-in hybrids had been registered for use on UK roads but by the end of 2014 that total had risen to just over 10,000 vehicles, with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV accounting for 5,354 of those vehicles.

By the end of 2015 a total of 13 plug-in hybrid models had entered the market, bringing total segment registrations to 19,000 vehicles, yet despite the increased competition the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV continued to resonate with customers seeking an ecologically-sound vehicle that didn’t compromise their practical needs or their budgets. Of those 19,000 vehicles, 11,681 were Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV registrations, accounting for 61 percent of the burgeoning segment. So far in 2016 Mitsubishi Motors in the UK continues to lead the field, with almost 7,800 Outlander PHEV registrations in the first three quarters of the year.

Lance Bradley, Managing Director Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, commented, “We’re extremely proud of the role the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has played in building awareness and acceptance of electrically-powered vehicles in the UK and thanks to its unmatched combination of practicality, ease-of-use, elegant styling and low running costs, we are confident of maintaining our market-leading position well into the future.”

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is now even more affordable thanks to a new three years’ zero-percent finance and zero deposit* offer, as well as competitive PCP deals with a deposit contribution of £2,500*. In addition, all new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV customers are eligible to have a 3.6kW Chargemaster Homecharge unit, which is worth £279, supplied and installed at no cost to the customer. The Chargemaster Homecharge unit charges 60% faster than a standard 13A socket and is the quickest, safest and easiest way to charge the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV at home.

UK SALES SEPT - Kia Motors sets a new record for the month with over 15,300 units sold.

• September sales of 15,340 sets a new record for the month
• Second only to March 2016
• Sportage remains best seller followed by Picanto and Rio

Kia Motors (UK) Limited out-performed the UK new car market with a near 10 per cent improvement compared to September last year by delivering 15,340 new cars to customers.

Official figures showed Kia recorded a 9.7 per cent improvement compared to the market’s 1.6 per cent increase. 

Kia’s best seller was the Sportage, with 6,411 vehicles delivered during the month. Picanto was the marque’s second-best seller with 2,316 delivered to customers. The brand’s Top three was completed by Rio with 1,638 sales.

Kia also out-performed the retail market recording a 5.5 per cent increase whilst the market generally was down by 1.7 per cent. The September performance was only bettered in March this year when 16,207 new Kias were delivered to the company’s ever-expanding customer base.

Paul Philpott, President and Chief Executive commented: “Ever since the start of this year when we launched the all-new Sportage we have seen more and more UK motorists turning to our brand and our 188-strong dealer network. This performance is testament to our excellent design, remarkable quality and durability and the focus on best-possible customer service by our dealer partners.

“I am confident we shall exceed our target of 88,000 units in 2016 to mark yet another record year for the brand. And with four all-new models coming in 2017 – two new versions of existing products and two additions to our growing range – I believe that we are set to continue that upward trend,” he added.

The September performance means that Kia has now delivered 72,949 new cars during the year to date – up 13.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. Kia is also increasing its performance in the fleet and business market with a near 50-50 split between business and retail sales – in contrast to the market as a whole. It also means Kia’s year-to-date overall market share has risen to 3.39 per cent compared to 3.06 for the first nine months of last year.