It’s the first time that EVs captured the main Japan COTY trophy and the Import Car of the Year award in the same year. It’s also the first time that a ‘K-minicar’ has won the Japan COTY award and the first time that one manufacturer won three awards in one night.
For the first time in the 43-year history of Japan’s Car of the Year awards, fully electric ‘K-minicars’ — the Nissan Sakura and Mitsubishi eK Cross EV — captured the country’s highest automotive award.
As joint partners in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Nissan and Mitsubishi collaborated to create the electric ‘Sakura’ and ‘eK Cross EV’ K-cars which share platforms, powertrains and underpinnings. But this potentially game-changing K-car combination was not finished with one award. The two sister cars went onto win the ‘K-car of the Year’ special prize as well.
Many jurors praised the EV’s size, 64hp powertrain and 180 km range, all for an equivalent price of around £12,000.
For further information, please contact www.jcoty.org
