Electric Car Awards 2021: vote for your favourite car in our Reader Award

As part of this year's Electric Car Awards, we're giving you the chance to vote for your most anticipated upcoming electric car in our Reader Award. All of the contenders below will be in UK showrooms within the next few years and each will be vying for the attentions of car buyers. 

Below, we'll take a look at each contender in more detail, before explaining how our voting process will work, and how you can get involved. The cars here are presented in alphabetical order.

BMW i4 | November 2021

The i4 shouts to everyone that you've gone electric, from its bold styling to the fact that it won't make a sound as you pass. It's designed to rival the Tesla Model 3, and our recent drive in a late stage prototype version showed that it definitely has the potential to match the best from Elon Musk's stable. Two versions will be available from launch, with the range-topping M50 model producing 537bhp from its twin electric motors, with a range of up to 316 miles between charges. Prices start from £51,905.

Cupra Tavascan | Summer 2022

With the upcoming Cupra Born electric hatchback about to go on sale, the Spanish firm will quickly follow it up in mid-2022 with the Tavascan, an all-electric coupé SUV that is sure to get you noticed on the school run. Power comes from two electric motors fed by a 77kWh battery Pack. The Tavascan can travel for up to 279 miles between charges – farther than rivals that including the Audi E-tron and Jaguar I-Pace – and, because its heavy battery is placed low down, it should be agile through corners. A 12.3in digital instrument cluster and 13.0in touchscreen infotainment system feature inside.

Hyundai Ioniq 5

Hyundai's newest electric car features retro styling and a very snazzy interior, plus a promise to take you more than 300 miles between charges. On top of that, it can charge up at super-fast speeds, and has more boot space than the rival Ford Mustang Mach-E. It's competitive against the Ford on price, too, but the Skoda Enyaq is substantially cheaper.

Kia EV6

The EV6 is the first in a new wave of electric cars from Kia, and can travel more than 300 miles between charges. Its radical design is half SUV, half family hatchback, and inside there's a 12.3in digital instrument panel, a 12.3in infotainment screen, and seats that can recline backwards so you can take a nap while the car is charging. Prices will start from £49,895.

Mercedes EQB

The upcoming EQB has a unique selling point – it's the smallest seven-seat electric SUV you can buy. While it's rearmost seats are likely to be only suitable for small adults or children (you can fit two child car seats on the third row), it will undoubtedly be useful for many families. There's no official word on range yet, but the EQB is likely to be able to travel at least 250 miles on a single charge, with power coming from a 66.5kWh battery pack. The range-topping EQB 350 4Matic model will have two electric motors, together producing 288bhp.

Nissan Ariya

If you've been looking at the latest Nissan Qashqai and wondering why there's no fully electric version, the Nissan Ariya is your answer. This is Nissan's first electric SUV, and it's powered by two electric motors. As is becoming the norm, you can tailor the battery size, power output and range to suit your needs, but even the base model can take you up to 223 miles between charges. 

Toyota Bz

Toyota is limbering up to launch a whole new range of electric cars, and the Bz is the first to be revealed. While little is known about its power output or range, we know it's designed to offer comparable luxury and space to the existing Lexus LS luxury car. Expect the very latest driver assistance tech to be available, plus an interior that features a distinctive yoke-style steering wheel.

Volvo C40

Essentially a coupé-styled version of the existing XC40 Recharge, the C40 is Volvo's rival for the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi E-tron Sportback. Power comes from two electric motors, each drawing energy from a 78kWh battery pack. The result is a combined 402bhp and a range of up to 261 miles between charges.

How the voting will work

We'll be hosting four group-stage polls across Thursday 1 July and Friday 2 July on our Twitter page, where you can cast your vote for your favourite car. The winners of each of those polls will then compete in two semi-final polls on Saturday 3 July, before a final winner is decided on Sunday 4 July.

Round one: the group stages

• Thursday 1 July AM: BMW i4 (winner) vs. Cupra Tavascan
• Thursday 1 July PM: Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Kia EV6 (winner)
• Friday 2 July AM: Mercedes EQB vs. Nissan Ariya
• Friday 2 July PM: Nissan Ariya vs. Volvo C40

Round two: the semi-finals

• Saturday 3 July AM: BMW i4 vs. Kia EV6
• Saturday 3 July PM: Semi-final contender three vs. semi-final contender four

Round three: the final

• Sunday 4 July: Semi-final winner one vs. semi-final winner two

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