Electric vehicles dominate finalists for car, truck and SUV of the year

- Joann Muller, author ofAxios What's Next

Clockwise, from top left: Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia EV9 and Chevrolet Silverado EV. Photos courtesy of Hyundai, Kia and Chevrolet
More than half of the finalists for North America's best car, truck and SUV run on electricity, not gasoline — a strong indication of where the industry is headed.
Why it matters: Electric vehicles (EVs) feature some of the industry's most innovative technology — and they're also the most fun to drive.
- That comes from experience: I'm one of 50 journalists on the jury for the annual North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards.
Details: The vehicles were chosen from a preliminary list of 52 eligible vehicles, which are reviewed throughout the year by the jurors.
- The jurors come together in October for a head-to-head comparison of their favorites to choose the top 3 in each category.
- The finalists, five of which are EVs, were announced yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto show.
Car of the year finalists: Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq 6 (EV), Toyota Prius/Prius Prime.
Truck of the year finalists: Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Super Duty.
Utility of the year finalists: Genesis Electrified GV70, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30 (all EVs).
What's next: I and the other jurors will complete our evaluations over the coming weeks.
- We'll cast our ballots before the end of the year to select the winners, which will be announced on Jan. 4.