2013 World Green Car Of The Year Award Handed Out Thursday, March 28th, 2013 At The New York Auto Show

The World Green Car Of The Year award has been presented since 2006, and while there have been some years where the pick has been slightly questionable (BMW 118d in 2008 or Honda FCX Clarity in 2009), we can't argue about this year's choice: Tesla Model S.

Though all of the official ballots have been cast and the winner has been determined, we're not yet sure of the exact number of votes each of the 3 finalists received.

It's no real surprise that the Model S took home the award, as Tesla's electric sedan seems to have found a way to capture nearly every automotive honor out there, including Car of the Year awards from both Automobile and Motor Trend.

On the win for Model S, CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk remarked:

“The success of Model S is a critical step towards the widespread adoption of sustainable transport and we are grateful to the World Car of the Year Jury for the recognition. Winning the 2013 World Green Car award is great acknowledgment of what Tesla has accomplished with Model S in the last four years.”

The three finalists for 2013 were:

2013 World Green Car Of The Year Finalist: Renault Zoe

Renault Zoe - arriving a couple years later than the Nissan LEAF, the "Alliance" really got their act together building the Zoe.

With a 130 mile range (NEDC - about 90 miles if it was rating in the US by the EPA) and a variable Chameleon charger that adapts to the amount of power than can be drawn (from 3 kW to 43 kW) from the outlet, the car is an attractive proposition, both visually and in the pocketbook. The Zoe ranges from €13,700 to £13,650 throughout Europe ($17,500 to $20,500 USD), with a separate battery rental of €79 ($100). Just coming to market now in Europe, the Zoe is already the plug-in sales for the region, and is expected to nominate for the next several years.

2013 World Green Car Of The Year FInalist: Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S - available in 3 range levels in the US (40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85kWh) and 2 in Europe (no 40 kWh version), the Tesla can not only drive up to 265 miles on a charge, but but can do it in style...a claim most EVs can not make.

Tesla currently is producing over 500 Model S sedans a week in an attempt to bring down a huge back-log of reservations, putting the exclamation point on how well the car has been received. European deliveries start in July. After the first two months of the year, the Tesla Model S is the best selling plug-in in the US. Pricing on the Model S ranges from $52,500 to $87,400 USD.

2013 World Green Car Of The Year FInalist: 2014 Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid - an unfortunate year to get nominated with two electric vehicle icons battling for supremacy. Still the plug-in Volvo really gets the job done. Taking the lead from the Chevrolet Volt, the V60 extended range vehicle really perfects the segment, but at a lofty price (£43,775 - about $66,000 USD).

The car zips from 0 to 62 mph in just 6.1 seconds, and has an electric-only range of 31 miles (NEDC) courtesy of an 11.2-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. As with all electric vehicles, torque is not an issue, for the V60 plug-in it has 472 pound-feet. Total driving range is 560 miles. Thanks to strong demand, Volvo has decided to increase production from 1,000 to 4,000 units for 2013.

Past Winners (as voted on by a international group of 66 noted automotive journalists):

2012 - Mercedes S 250 CDI Blue EFFICIENCY over the Ford Focus Electric and Peugeot 3008 Hybrid.

- over the Ford Focus Electric and Peugeot 3008 Hybrid. 2011 - Chevrolet Volt over the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics and the Nissan LEAF

- over the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics and the Nissan LEAF 2010 - Volkswagen BlueMotion

2009 - Honda FCX Clarity

2008 - BMW 118d

2007 - Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec

2006 - Honda Civic Hybrid

To be eligible for the 2013 World Green Car award, a vehicle has to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2012 and ending May 30th, 2013. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

Eligibility requirements and critera for the award:

Read the full press release on the Tesla Model S win of World Green Car Of The Year Award here.