Europe’s Car of the Year Award Goes Live Online — After Cancellation of Geneva Car Show

When you have lemons, try to make lemonade.

Many organizations have to improvise at the last minute to replace their media communication from the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) with something else.

The European Car of the Year (CotY) Award organizers are the first in CleanTechnica’s mailbox with an alternative. At the time the award ceremony is normally held, the afternoon before the press days of GIMS, there will be a livestream, enabling many more people to join the award event. We just miss the champagne and snacks, and too many people in too small a hall, bumping into each other.

Car of the Year Election Maintained and Broadcasted Online Only on Monday at 3PM

Despite the cancellation of the Geneva International Motor Show, the organizers have decided to broadcast the Car of the Year award ceremony via live streaming on Monday, March 2, at 3 p.m. on this website. No journalists will be accepted on-site. The award will be presented by Frank Janssen, President of the Jury and car journalist from the German magazine Stern.

Seven candidates are part of the list of nominees for the Car of the Year 2020:

• BMW 1 Series
• Ford Puma
• Peugeot 208
• Porsche Taycan
• Renault Clio
• Tesla Model 3
• Toyota Corolla

Frank Janssen will present the final round of voting. Jury members will have to award 25 points, spread over at least five of the seven models. This will take place on Monday, 2 March 2020 at Palexpo. It will be broadcasted live on the Geneva International Motor Show website and on the #GimsSwiss Facebook page. This will enable you to discover the winner in real time.

Perhaps this gives us the opportunity to discuss the strange world of auto journalism. The shortlist of 7 nominees contain 2 electric vehicles, the Porsche Taycan and the Tesla Model 3. It also contains 5 (FIVE!!) legacy models only good for a short life before going to the scrap yard.

There is no shortage of better candidates this year. At least it is better than last year, though, when the Jaguar I-Pace was the only electric vehicle on the list. It is little solace the Jag won last year, after getting the same number of points as the number two. The tie-break rules worked in the Jag’s favor.

I think this is an excellent opportunity for all those that are interested in the models that will be the future of transportation to let the CotY organizers and jury know what you think of their selection of the 7 best cars of 2020.