EV Awards 2026 Opens Submissions; Charging Startups to Be Honored This Year

The EV Awards 2026 announced on the 13th that it will accept entries through the 29th. This year, it has expanded the award categories by adding a charging infrastructure startup division and a media evaluation category for automotive journalists.

The EV Awards is an EV industry awards program hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and co-organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association (KBIA), COEX, and the Korea Automobile Environment Association. It has been held since 2022 as a key program of EV Trend Korea, a specialized exhibition for the EV industry.

This year, a startup category has been newly added within the charging infrastructure division to assess the technology and product competitiveness of early-stage companies entering the charging market. In cooperation with the Korea Automobile Journalists Association (KAJA), the event has also launched a new Media Pick EV category, in which automotive journalists evaluate electric vehicles.

Judging will combine expert evaluation and consumer voting. The Minister's Award of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment for EV of the Year and Charging Infrastructure of the Year will be selected based on 80% expert evaluation and 20% consumer voting. Consumer's Choice EV and Charging Infrastructure will be determined entirely by consumer votes, Judges' Choice will be decided entirely by expert review, and Media Pick EV will be based entirely on the evaluation of automotive journalists.

Winning companies will receive a dedicated special exhibition space during EV Trend Korea, an award ceremony at the opening event, and a presentation opportunity at the EV 360° Conference. They will also receive promotional support, including links to test-drive programs, media interviews, and introductions in the official brochure and on the website.

Eligible entries for the electric vehicle category are vehicles launched or scheduled for launch in South Korea between August 2025 and July 2026. The charging infrastructure category is open to the most recently released products. Applications are accepted through the EV Trend Korea 2026 website.

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.