The 2026 World Car Awards finalists reveal a clear direction for the global auto industry: electrification is no longer just a niche or novelty – it’s now the mainstream. That’s because based on the official list of Top 10 and Top 5 finalists released this week, around 70% of vehicles shortlisted across major World Car Awards categories feature some form of electrification, whether full battery-electric or plug-in hybrid.
Out of ten finalists, seven are either fully electric or electrified through hybrid or plug-in hybrid systems. These include vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, BMW iX3, Kia EV4 and EV5, Hyundai Ioniq 9, and BYD Seal 6 DM-i. Only a minority of finalists rely solely on internal combustion engines (ICE).
The dominance of electrification is even more pronounced in other categories. All five finalists of the World Electric Vehicle of the Year are fully electric. These include the Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron, BMW iX3, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Mercedes-Benz CLA, and the Nissan Leaf.
Meanwhile, the 2026 World Luxury Car category also showed a strong EV dominance. In this category, the Top 5 finalists were the Audi A6 e-tron / S6 e-tron, Audi A6/S6, Cadillac Vistiq, Lucid Gravity, and the Volvo ES90. As for the World Performance Car category, electrified vehicles shined through with its top 5 finalists BMW M2 CS, Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Defender OCTA, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro.
Beyond powertrains, electrification still is dominant, and automotive design trends reinforce this. Four out of five World Car Design of the Year finalists are full-EVs. These include the Firefly, Kia PV5, Mazda 6e / EZ-6, and the Volvo ES90. Also included in the list is the Lynk & Co 08 PHEV. This shortlist underscores how electrification is influencing not just drivetrains, but also proportions, packaging, and overall vehicle identity.
These finalists were selected by 98 automotive journalists from 33 countries, with vote tabulation handled independently by KPMG, a global network of professional services firms providing audit, tax, and advisory services to organizations across industries. The 2026 World Car Awards titles are presented by Brembo, and will culminate in a live awarding ceremony at the New York International Auto Show on April 1, 2026.
