The new Toyota Prius Prime has been awarded the 2017 World Green Car title at the 2017 New York International Auto Show. This is the second consecutive year that Toyota claimed the World Green Car title - last year, the Japanese automaker won it for the Mirai. The globally popular hybrid electric vehicle was chosen as a winner from an initial entry list of 12 new vehicles from all over the world.
The 2017 World Green Car of the Year was awarded to Toyota after considering factors like tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry). The international jury panel of 75 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world also considered the vehicle’s environmental responsibility. Speaking about the achievement, Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager of Toyota division, “It is a great honor to see the Prius Prime named World Green Car. For global automakers like Toyota, this award is a testament to our focus on developing products that both stir the emotions and meet the mobility needs of our customers in all corners of the world.”
It is believed that the Toyota Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid version of the Toyota Prius, will bridge the gap between hybrid and all-electric vehicles while motivating more buyers to go green than ever before. Toyota is not new to the World Car Awards program, now in its 13th year. Apart from the Mirai win last year, the Prius had also won the ‘Top Three in the World’ status in 2010 for both the World Green Car and the overall World Car of the Year categories. The Toyota GT86 was a ‘Top Three in the World’ finalist for 2013 World Car of the Year, while the Toyota iQ made it to the finals in 2009 for the same category and the Toyota Harrier Hybrid for the 2006 World Green Car.
