EV News

Renault Zoe, Model 3 and Peugeot electric van win UK motoring awards

Published by
Joshua S. Hill

French auto manufacturer Renault’s all-electric Zoe – which has been pulled from sales in Australia due to a lack of supportive policy – has been awarded Best Small Electric Car in the Parkers New Car Awards 2021, one of the leading motoring awards in the UK.

The Tesla Model 3 electric sedan and Peugeot e-Expert electric van were also recipients of the prestigious awards.

The Parkers New Car Awards are awarded by the team at Parkers.co.uk, which has been valuing cars since 1972 and has a team of experts with “a combined experience of more than 100 years” reviewing all the latest vehicles in the UK.

With 21 categories aimed at providing advising its readers “what the best cars available actually are”, the Parkers New Car Awards had only three electric-specific categories – Best Small Electric Car, Best Large Electric Car, and Best Electrified Van.

Winner of the Best Electrified Van was the trio of all-electric vans from Groupe PSA, the Citroen e-Dispatch, the Peugeot e-Expert, and the Vauxhall Vivaro-e – all of them exactly the same under the hood and badge.

Unsurprisingly, the Tesla Model 3 won the Best Large Electric Car division, for the second year running.

Model 3 Performance. Source: Tesla

Keith Adams, the editor at Parkers.co.uk, described the Renault Zoe as a car that “just keeps on getting better,” adding that: “With the competition heating up and new models being constantly introduced, it’s interesting to see that the best model overall is a facelifted version of s successful existing model.”

This is the first year for the Best Small Electric Car category, and Renault pointed to recent revisions to the Zoe as contributing to its win. The 2020 Zoe offers an all-electric driving range of up to 245 miles (394 kilometres) and the ability to charge up to 80% in just 70 minutes.

“The Renault Zoe has been facelifted to incorporate a longer range and some really big improvements to its user-friendly interior,” said Adams.

“Renault is rightly proud of its stance as an early adopter to the idea of the mainstream electric car, and we wholeheartedly back that – if you want a highly usable and enjoyable electric car that’s perfect for the city as well as the motorways, this makes a strong case for being your next set of wheels.”

Renault also drove away with the award for Best First Car for the Renault Clio. “We’re extremely pleased to accept these two prestigious awards,” said Vincent Tourette, managing director for Groupe Renault UK.

“They underline the ongoing success and popularity of the ZOE and the Clio in their respective, highly-competitive sectors, whilst also reaffirming how Renault continues to raise the bar in terms of providing compact car buyers with the very best vehicles, regardless of whether they have a conventional engine, a hybrid drivetrain or are 100% electric.”

Of the e-Expert’s win, Parker’s van editor C.J. Hubbard said in a statement that he was impressed by the £25,053 (before on-roads and VAT, $A45,798 converted) electric van’s range, payload and towing capabilities, and affordable price.

The e-Expert. Source: Peugeot

“Never before has there been a medium-sized electric van able to carry so much payload or travel so far per charge – Peugeot e-Expert customers should be confident that this van can do what they need it to do. The pricing and towing capability is impressive, too.”

While Tesla did not comment on the Model 3 win, Parker’s own statement on the decision to award it Best Large Electric Car took a jibe at the EV maker’s quality issues but ultimately awarded it for range, performance and charging network.

“This charismatic EV has become a top-selling car in the UK, despite being made by a technology firm not always associated with quality product,” Parker’s wrote.

“It really delivers where it counts, though, thanks to a long driving range, excellent performance and the advantage of Tesla’s unmatched Supercharger network. Top it off with decent leasing deals that can get you in one from around £400 per month, and you can see why it’s won for a second year running.”

Recent Posts

Ioniq 9: Hyundai announces pricing for its biggest and most expensive EV to date

Hyundai has announced the Australian pricing for its flagship all electric SUV, the Ioniq 9,…

July 16, 2025

New Tesla Model Y with 6-seats reportedly rolls off the production line

A more family-friendly Tesla with 6-seat configuration has reportedly rolled off the production line, hinting…

July 16, 2025

Seeing is believing: EV chargers need bigger signage to make them more visible – to everyone

EV charging spots need bigger signs, to help EV drivers and give confidence to non-EV…

July 16, 2025

Geely EX5: King of value-packed premium family electric SUV

Geely's first EV in Australia hits the spot for value-packed electric SUV, with plenty of…

July 16, 2025

Inland cargo vessel to be first in world to use solar power directly for propulsion

An array of panels will be used to directly power an inland cargo vessel's propulsion…

July 15, 2025

UK offer big grants for EVs as it aims to reach 80 pct EV market by end of decade

The United Kingdom is doubling down on electric vehicles, offering sizeable rebates for new EVs…

July 15, 2025