The winners of the Next Green Car Awards 2016 have been announced, with the UK’s best green cars recognised

The winners of the Next Green Car Awards 2016 have been announced, with the UK’s best green cars recognised.

Winning models have been carefully selected across 10 awards categories, made up of nine vehicle sectors and a Next Generation award. 

An overall NGC Car of the Year 2016 champion has also been picked from the 10 category winners, all of which have been launched in the UK in 2016 or will be released in 2017.

All winning models have been judged against a range of environmental, performance and cost criteria, with Next Green Car's unique NGC Rating a primary factor in deciding which vehicles made it through to the shortlist.

With key environmental credentials established, other considerations such as suitability for purpose, impact on the market, and value for money are taken into account, to decide the winning and commended vehicles in each category.

Commenting on the winners of this year’s awards, Dr Ben Lane, Director at Next Green Car, said: “We are delighted to give recognition to 10 cars which best combine environmental and driving performance. 

Utilising state-of-the-art technology, the winners demonstrate that cars can be exhilarating to drive and impact less on the environment – all at affordable cost.

“To illustrate the range and capability of low emission vehicles now on the market, the average CO₂ emissions of the finalists across the 10 categories is less than 36 g/km, nine of the 20 models are pure-electric, six are plug-in hybrids, four conventional hybrids, with only one model not featuring any kind of electrification; reflecting the global trend in auto-tech.”

The winners of the Next Green Car Awards 2016 are as follows:

Citycar Award 2016

WINNER: Volkswagen e-up! – CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 22

NGC verdict: "Already one of the best city cars around, VW has made its e-up! even better with sharper looks and improved equipment. Fun to drive, cheap to run, and with zero tailpipe emissions, this little electric Volkswagen is an ideal urban runabout."

COMMENDED: Mahindra e2o – CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 22

Supermini Award 2016

WINNER: Renault Zoe Z.E. 40 –CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 25

NGC verdict: "Renault roots out range anxiety with its new Zoe Z.E. 40, offering 250 miles of range in a strong supermini package. Nicely designed and easy to use, the zero-emission Zoe now has more than enough range to persuade even the most anxious driver into an EV."

COMMENDED: BMW i3 94Ah – CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 23

Small Family Award 2016

WINNER: Hyundai Ioniq Electric – CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 22

NGC verdict: "It's tough to find any flaws with the Ioniq Electric. Hyundai has packed plenty of performance, practicality, range and value for money into the new model, making it a genuine winner that will tempt many buyers into their first electric car.”

COMMENDED: Renault Megane – CO2 96 g/km – NGC Rating 32

Large Family Award 2016

WINNER: Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid – CO2 37 g/km – NGC Rating 40

NGC Verdict: "Smooth, spacious, and stylish, the Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid offers plenty of kit and a comfortable driving experience. With its handy range in electric-mode, Kia's latest plug-in is likely to prove a popular family and company car."

COMMENDED: Toyota Prius – CO2 70 g/km – NGC Rating 27

MPV Award 2016

WINNER: BMW 225xe –CO2 46 g/km – NGC Rating 37

NGC verdict: "The only PHEV MPV on the market, BMW's 225xe manages to combine the practical capabilities of its 2 Series Active Tourer with its tried and tested plug-in hybrid power-train. The result is a brilliant family workhorse that costs very little to run."

COMMENDED: Renault Scenic – CO2 92 g/km – NGC Rating 34

Crossover Award 2016

WINNER: Toyota C-HR –CO2 86 g/km – NGC Rating 32

NGC verdict: "If you find the Prius tempting but a bit too staid, Toyota now offers the C-HR. Making the most of its market-leading hybrid system, the crossover is a frugal and stylish way to nip (and be seen) around town."

COMMENDED: Kia Niro – CO2 88 g/km – NGC Rating 33

SUV Award 2016

WINNER: Tesla Model X –CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 35

NGC verdict: "From its wrap-over windscreen and falcon-wing doors to its long-range electric drive, Tesla's Model X excels in providing a sophisticated 21st century driving experience.  Tesla's entry into the SUV market looks set to be just as successful as the Model S."

COMMENDED: Audi Q7 e-tron – CO2 48 g/km – NGC Rating 26

Executive Award 2016

WINNER: BMW 330e –CO2 44 g/km – NGC Rating 35

NGC verdict: "A plug-in version of a car synonymous with the compact executive class can only be a good thing. With the potential for cost savings, strong performance, well-balanced handling, and a refined interior, the BMW 330e is a welcome addition to the executive fleet."

COMMENDED: Mercedes Benz E 350e – CO2 49 g/km – NGC Rating 37

Sports Cabrio Award 2016

WINNER: Morgan EV3 –CO2 0 g/km – NGC Rating 18

NGC verdict: "With its unique blend of design, range and performance, Morgan's electric sports car provides all the thrills of the three-wheeler but with zero-emissions. The Morgan EV3 is an unconventional, but warmly welcomed addition to the electric car market."

COMMENDED: Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid – CO2 56 g/km – NGC Rating 46

Next Generation Award 2016

WINNER: Riversimple Rasa –NGC Rating TBC

NGC verdict: "Ultra-efficient, the Riversimple Rasa was designed on a clean sheet of paper, and it shows. No other car maker can touch Riversimple's dedication to efficiency, and the technology found on the Rasa is proof that such a car can be done and done well."

COMMENDED: Tesla Model 3 – NGC Rating TBC

NGC Car of the Year 2016

WINNER: Hyundai Ioniq –CO2 0-79 g/km – NGC Rating 22-29

NGC verdict: "The new Ioniq’s design philosophy is pitch-perfect in delivering a range of low emission, stylish and practical family cars. Full marks to Hyundai for offering a choice of three electric and hybrid powertrains, all of which combine performance with affordability.”

Commenting on the Car of the Year winner, Chris Lilly, Content Manager at Next Green Car commented: “The Hyundai Ioniq wins the NGC Car of the Year Award 2016 against some exceptional competition. While the last 12 months have seen a number of new models come onto the market, the Ioniq takes the prize for its quality design, practicality, and its low running costs.

“In addition, the Ioniq range has been intentionally designed from the outset to offer three different electric powertrain options: pure electric and conventional hybrid, with a plug-in hybrid due for release next year. 

The ability for customers to choose the electric powertrain that best fits their driving needs from across the Ioniq range is a great step forward, and a route we hope other manufacturers will follow.”

GOODWOOD - Tesla is using Goodwood to launch the spectacular Model X Sports Utility Vehicle.

Tesla has chosen this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show weekend to unveil its spectacular SUV, Model X.

Model X is the uncompromising SUV that combines safety, size and speed. With enough room to fit seven adults and accelerate from 0-60mph in an impressive 3.2 seconds, Model X is the most capable sports utility vehicle in history.

Standing alongside Model X will be three of Tesla’s exhilarating Model S cars and an AWD chassis. The top-class cast will be on display for all four days of the event from June 23-26 and the public will have the ability to book in advance for a test drive at future events.  

During the Moving Motor Show, which has been part of Goodwood’s programme since 2010, Tesla’s stand on the Main Grid will be fully open for public viewing. The Moving Motor Show allows the public unprecedented access to the latest cars and a first-hand inspection of all Festival content, as well as the opportunity to put the pedal to the metal in some new wheels.

On Thursday’s Moving Motor Show, part of the new Press & Preview Day, spectators will be delighted by Tesla’s Model X P90DL.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show are not to be missed by any motoring enthusiast. The event sees the latest of the world’s most thrilling cars take centre stage – from Formula 1 to the most innovative electric vehicles – in addition to a whole host of off-track entertainment set amongst the glorious grounds of Lord March’s Goodwood Estate.

Tesla Motors said it would sell $2 billion in stock to finance the launch of its new Model 3 electric sedan.

Tesla Motors said it would sell $2 billion in stock to help finance the accelerated launch of its new Model 3 electric sedan. The company's shares were down 1.8 percent at $207.30 following the news after markets closed on Wednesday.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk surprised investors last month with his decision to speed up the introduction of the Model 3, a smaller, less expensive car than Tesla has built, and expand production capacity at the Tesla plant in Fremont, California.

As part of the sale, Tesla said it would offer about $1.4 billion of shares, with the remaining shares to be sold by Musk to cover taxes connected with his exercise of more than 5.5 million stock options.

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The Tesla Model S gets a facelift inline with the Model X and Model III, the brand is now ready to dominate.

Tesla Motors on Tuesday introduced the first major styling update for the Model S since its launch in 2012, scrapping the electric sedan’s signature blacked-out nose cone for a smooth, grille-free look similar to that of the Model X crossover.

By their nature, electric cars have no need for a grille because there is no engine under the hood to cool. The decision to remove the grille from the nose of the Model S suggests the demands of the internal-combustion engine may no longer hold such power over expectations for car design -- at least among Tesla customers.

Also on Tuesday, the Palo Alto, California, automaker opened an online “design studio” for a cheaper version of the Model X with a base price of $80,000 with shipping. The cheapest version of the crossover, dubbed the 75D, has a 75-kilowatt-hour battery pack offering 237 miles of range and a 0-to-60-mph (97kph) time of 6 seconds.

Pricing for the Model S, which starts at $71,500 in the U.S. with a 70-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a rear-wheel-drive configuration, remains unchanged after the face-lift.

However, Tesla upgraded the standard charger in the Model S from 40 amps to 48 amps for quicker recharging and added, as an option, a HEPA-rated air filtration system already available on the Model X crossover.

The air filtration system, which has a maximum setting called “bioweapon defense mode,” is part of a $3,000 premium upgrade package that also includes leather seats, upgraded LED lighting and a power liftgate.

Tesla is building the freshened Model S at its factory in Fremont, California, with deliveries beginning in May for new orders.

The company is offering a May delivery for customers who place a new order for the Model X in top-of-the-line 90D and P90D trims. Deliveries of the 75D will follow starting in June.

Gabe Nelson

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USA - Tesla's advance orders for the new Model3, top 253,000 in 36 hours, thats about $10.6 Billion A.S.P.

Tesla Motors Inc. said orders for the new Model 3 electric sedan topped 253,000 in the first 36 hours -- a fast start for the company's first mass-market vehicle, which may not begin to reach customers for another 18 months or more.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Friday that the Model 3, which is slated to go into production in late 2017, will sell at an average price of $42,000, including the price of options and additional features, which in theory would give the initial flurry of orders an estimated retail value of $10.6 billion.

The intense interest in the Model 3, fanned in part by a steady stream of tweets by Musk, could help boost Tesla's stock price, which closed Friday at $237.59, up 3.4 percent. The stock has soared more than 60 percent since hitting a 12-month low in February.

The car's average selling price projected by Musk is well above the $35,000 base price. Analysts earlier had estimated the first Model 3s off the factory line in Fremont, Calif., could be loaded with extra equipment and sell for $50,000 to $60,000.

Tesla has undertaken a costly expansion of the Fremont plant, aiming to boost annual capacity to 500,000 by 2020, with production of the Model 3, the company's first mass-market car, ramping up slowly through 2019.

Some analysts said the company could have trouble filling all the initial Model 3 orders, which are accompanied by a refundable $1,000 deposit, until 2020.

Barclays analyst Brian Johnson on Friday said the heavy influx of Model 3 orders "sets the stage for an equity offering" later this year by Tesla, much of which would go toward factory construction and product development.

Johnson had estimated Tesla could take 250,000-300,000 orders for the car by the end of June.

Musk unveiled a prototype of the Model 3, a smaller companion to the Model S sedan and Model X utility vehicle, amid considerable fanfare on Thursday night.

Some prospective buyers who placed early orders may have anticipated paying a lower price for the Model 3 after factoring in a $7,500 federal tax credit on EVs. But that credit begins to phase out once manufacturers sell more than 200,000 EVs -- a mark that Tesla, at its current sales pace, is likely to surpass next year before the first Model 3 is delivered. 

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The All New Tesla3, the small Tesla for the masses, and the masses have been putting in their orders.

Suggesting there may be significant pent-up demand for an affordable electric car with decent range, Tesla Motors revealed the design of its $35,000-and-up Model 3 during a invitation-only event late Thursday.

The unveiling took place after a day of anticipation during which thousands of people waited in line at Tesla showrooms to place $1,000 deposits on the car, sight unseen.

More than 115,000 people made reservations for the Model 3 within the past 24 hours, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said at Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne, Calif., as he revealed the Model 3, with an aerodynamic, genre-bending design somewhere between sedan and hatchback and a huge, tablet-like screen between the front seats.

As of early afternoon, advanced orders reached 198,000, Musk said in a post on Twitter.

"Definitely going to need to rethink production planning," Musk wrote.

Tesla shares surged 3.4 percent to close at $237.59 today. 

Musk said the Model 3 will seat five adults in comfort and will have a minimum range of 215 miles and a 0-to-60 time under 6 seconds in its cheapest iteration when it goes on sale at the end of 2017.

“I do feel fairly confident it will be next year,” Musk said to knowing laughter, given Tesla’s track record of delays on its current products, the Model S sedan and Model X crossover. “As for price, it’ll be $35,000. And I want to emphasize that even if you buy it at $35,000 -- no options at all -- this will still be an amazing car.”

No slow cars

Despite the months of intense hype for the Model 3’s unveiling, Tesla disclosed precious few details on pricing or content, saying it would share more information to launch. Musk did say the Model 3 would come standard with hardware for Tesla’s Autopilot system and the ability to use Tesla’s network of proprietary Superchargers.

He also signaled that Tesla would offer “much faster” versions of the Model 3.

“At Tesla,” he said, “we don’t make slow cars.”

Despite the dearth of details, the surge of reservations for the Model 3, intended to become Tesla’s first mass-market model since its founding in 2003, marks a pivotal moment for the company and for electric cars.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla sees sales volume from the Model 3 as key to its long-term success. From the moment it goes on sale, the Model 3 will face stiff competition from conventional automakers, including General Motors’ Chevrolet Bolt, which is now in the early stages of pre-production and is scheduled to go on sale by the end of the year with a range of roughly 200 miles on a full charge.

Early orders

Orders for the Model 3 started Thursday morning, as Tesla gave U.S. customers the chance to submit a $1,000 refundable deposit at a Tesla store to begin the waiting period. Owners of the Model S sedan or Model X SUV were given one priority reservation per vehicle they owned, putting them ahead of first-time buyers in the delivery queue. Tesla also gave priority reservations to its employees and those of SpaceX.

Lines formed at many of Tesla’s factory-owned showrooms, with some of the lines snaking around the block, according to postings on social media. At one point during the day, a broadly grinning Musk visited Tesla’s showroom at a shopping mall in Century City, Calif., giving high fives to every customer waiting in line, a video posted online shows. (He declined requests for photographs, saying he was pressed for time.)

Tesla plans to start assembling the Model 3 in late 2017 at the Fremont, Calif., factory where it builds the Model S and Model X. Deliveries would begin in California and move eastward across the United States, then to Europe and to right-hand drive markets.

Missed deadlines

Many people, including some of Tesla’s staunchest fans, remain skeptical that the company will hit its deadline, as Tesla has never set a production deadline it didn’t miss. So far, this has not been a problem, as Tesla’s base of fiercely loyal customers have been willing to wait and have forgiven early quality glitches. Mass-market customers may not be so forgiving, said Patrick Min, a senior analyst at TrueCar.

“This is a pretty big test for them in terms of … pushing the vehicle out at this level,” Min said.

By moving down-market, Tesla opens itself up to car-buyers who previously were priced out of the company’s showrooms. But despite the headline-grabbing entry price of $35,000, analysts do not expect many customers to pay so little for a Model 3.

“Virtually no one will buy that specific car,” David Whiston, an auto analyst at Morningstar, told Automotive News before Thursday's unveiling. He predicted that an eager base of early adopters will push the Model 3’s average transaction price into the $40,000s or beyond. “This is not really the mass market car that some people are referring to it as.”

Whiston said Tesla may need an even cheaper car than the Model 3 to reach its stated production goal of 500,000 vehicles annually by 2020, nearly 10 times the 50,580 it delivered in 2015. Tesla, which has never turned a yearly profit and reported $320 million in net losses for the fourth quarter of 2015, has also said that it needs the volume of the Model 3 to be viable in the long term.

“If you really want to start getting into the volume segments, you’re going to need cheaper cars than what they sell today -- and even cheaper than the Model 3,” Whiston said. “That’s the big question for this company: can they ever get the scale to survive?”

Tax incentives

Tesla has said the $35,000 price is before federal and state tax credits. Once on sale, the Model 3 may push Tesla past a threshold for federal tax incentives, which have helped to spur sales of electric cars such as the Model S. Once an automaker sells more than 200,000 electric vehicles in the United States, that company’s vehicles soon become ineligible for the credit, which is worth up to $7,500.

With the threshold passed, Tesla’s credits will be phased out over a one-year period. Two quarters after the 200,000 mark is reached, the credit will be cut in half for the following two quarters. Then the credit will be cut in half again for one more quarter before being phased out entirely.

Tesla, which does not break out sales by country, has not disclosed how close it is to the 200,000 mark, but the automaker is expected to pass the threshold as soon as 2018, meaning that the customers who place a deposit on the Model 3 have no guarantee that credits will be available when deliveries begin.

Many people remain skeptical that Tesla will hits its goal of delivering the car in late 2017, given that the Model X went on sale in late 2015, two years later than Tesla initially promised.

Musk has admitted that at least some of the delays on that vehicle were tied to overly ambitious design elements such as upward-opening falcon-wing doors and sliding second-row seats.

Few of those gee-whiz elements are apparent in the Model 3’s design, aside from a panoramic glass roof and the decision to move the front seats unusually far forward for more space.

Like the Model S and Model X predecessors, the Model 3 has a slippery design to cheat the wind. Built from scratch on a new platform, it will provide the underpinnings for additional models including a small crossover.

Gabe Nelson

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Tesla gets through $359 Million in the last quarter, but with two new cars coming it's only to be expected.

It's crunch time for Tesla Motors.

The Silicon Valley automaker is losing more than $4,000 on every Model S electric sedan it sells, using its reckoning of operating losses, and it burned $359 million in cash last quarter in a bull market for luxury vehicles. The company on Wednesday cut its production targets for this year and next.

CEO Elon Musk said he's considering options to raise more capital, and didn't rule out selling more stock.

Musk has taken investors on a thrill ride since taking Tesla public in 2010. Now he's given himself a deadline, promising that by the first quarter of 2016 Tesla will be making enough money to fund a jump from making one expensive, low volume car to mass producing multiple models, and expanding a venture to manufacture electric power storage systems.

Tesla's shares fell almost 9 percent on Thursday and slipped another 2 percent on Friday as investors and analysts weighed the risks of Musk's ambitious plans for expanding Tesla's auto and energy storage businesses. Tesla had just $1.15 billion on hand as of June 30, down from $2.67 billion a year earlier.

Automakers consume cash to pay for assembly line equipment, including metal dies and plastic molds, as well as testing to meet safety and emissions standards. A typical new car can cost $1 billion or more to engineer and bring to market.

Established automakers such as General Motors and Ford Motor Co. have amassed far larger cash cushions as they've rebuilt balance sheets battered by the 2008-2009 recession. GM, restructured six years ago in a government funded bankruptcy, has targeted cash reserves of $20 billion and had more than $28 billion in cash equivalents as of June 30.

To be sure, GM sells more than 9 million vehicles a year, while Tesla plans to build between 50,000 and 55,000 cars this year. Tesla, most of whose cars are built to order directly, delivered 11,532 cars in the second period and said it had an operating loss of about $47 million, for an operating loss per car of about $4,000.

Tesla's narrower margin for error is just one more way in which it is different from its century-old rivals.

Capital spending

The company said it plans $1.5 billion in capital spending this year, mainly to launch its Model X, battery powered SUV with eye-catching, vertical-opening "falcon wing" doors. Tesla reported $831 million in capital spending during the first half of the year, indicating it will spend roughly another $700 million.

During the second quarter, Tesla said operating costs and r&d spending rose, while average selling prices for the Model S lineup, which starts at $70,000 before federal and state electric vehicle tax breaks, fell 1 percent as the mix of sales shifted to less expensive models and a strong dollar hit revenue generated overseas. The Model S comes in several different versions, ranging in price up to $106,000 or more, depending on options.

Tesla has signaled capital spending will drop next year because the company won't be spending on a major vehicle launch. In 2017, Tesla plans to launch its Model 3 line, which the company says will start at about $35,000 and push total sales toward the goal of 500,000 vehicles a year by 2020.

Barclays analyst Brian Johnson disagreed with the company's estimates, and said he expects Tesla's capital spending will go up in 2016 and 2017 as the company ramps up its battery factory and Model 3 development. "Their small scale means the cash generation is not as great as they might have hoped for," he said.

Worth more than FCA

Musk said this week Tesla expects to have $1 billion in cash over the next year, and told analysts "there may be some value" in raising capital "as a risk reduction measure."

Tesla's stock is still about 70 percent higher than it was two years ago, and 8 percent ahead of its level on Jan 1. With a market capitalization of $31 billion, Tesla is worth more than Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, the much larger maker of Ram pickups and Jeep Grand Cherokees.

"A capital raise, given the way they're burning cash today, given the fact that they have future investment needs, seems very likely at some point," said UBS Securities analyst Colin Langan, who has a sell rating on the stock.

Musk has steered Tesla out of tight corners before. In September 2012, the company faced a cash crunch, but raised money by selling shares and renegotiating the terms of a federal loan. The Model S started production in mid-2012.

Tesla has made moves to expand sales volume, and lure people to pay more for its vehicles. In addition to adding a lower priced version of the Model S, Tesla last month said it would offer performance upgrades for its Model S 85 and 85D for $5,000 and launched the Model S 90D and P90D high performance cars at a $10,000 price premium.

GAAP numbers

Tesla reports its finances in a different way from the Detroit automakers. Using the generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, used by GM or Ford, Tesla's operating losses per vehicle have steadily widened to $14,758 from $3,794 in the second quarter of 2014.

But Tesla points out in its statements to investors that its GAAP accounting excludes certain revenue and profits from Model S sedans that customers lease.

In the second quarter, the deferred gross profits from Model S leases amounted to $61.9 million, Tesla said. Analysts say they add back the deferred revenue to make Tesla's figures more comparable to the reporting used by other automakers.