The nissan sakura and the Mitsubishi eK X have been awarded as Japan Car of the Year 2022/23 (JCOTY) by the specialized press of that country.
Both 100% electric kei cars are basically the same model with two faces and different namesand they also took home the Car K of the Year award, a special designation for microcars.
The The Mitsubishi eK X and the Nissan Sakura were developed and manufactured through the Nissan Mitsubishi Kei Vehicle (NMKV) joint venture.. They are powered by a front-mounted electric motor powered by a floor-mounted 20 kWh lithium-ion battery. This engine generates 64 Hp and 144 lb-ft of torque and allows a top speed of 130 km/h. With a full charge, both cars can go up to 180 km, according to the WLTC standard.
The battery can also be used as a mobile power source during emergencies, to provide a day’s worth of electricity to an average Japanese household.
“With the Sakura and eK X kei cars, the barriers to having an electric vehicle at a realistic price have been lowered, which has increased the adoption of battery electric vehicles in Japan. In terms of driving dynamics, handling and performance outperformed conventional kei cars.”said the JCOTY award committee. “Both are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, with driving support functions comparable to those of luxury cars”they added.
The winners of all categories of JCOTY 2023:
- Car of the Year: Nissan Sakura / Mitsubishi eK X
- Import Car of the Year: Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Best Design of the Year: BMW iX
- Performance Car of the Year: Honda Civic Type R, Honda Civic e:HEV
- Tech Car of the Year: Nissan X-Trail
