Electric cars dominate ecoEnergy awards

 

The most fuel-efficient vehicles in Canada are now largely electrified, Natural Resources Canada says, with at least six of the federal department’s recently announced 11 ecoEnergy award categories won by either gas-electric hybrids or plug-in electric vehicles.

The arrival of three plug-in vehicles for 2012 that run mainly or solely on grid electricity has tipped the fuel-sipping balance in favour of electrification. Not surprisingly, the two battery electric cars on the market currently turned out to be the most fuel-efficient of all vehicles, with neither using a drop of gasoline, the smaller and lighter Mitsubishi i-MiEV (subcompact award winner) coming out slightly ahead of the Nissan Leaf (mid-size winner).