Just introduced, already awarded... the new Renault Trafic electric named Utility Vehicle of the Year 2027

Just unveiled, the new Renault Trafic Van E-Tech electric has already won a major award. Presented this week at the IAA Transportation in Hanover, this electric van from the Renault brand was recently named International Van of the Year 2027, beating six other finalists.

The new Renault Trafic electric begins its career with a significant honor. The jury of the International Van of the Year (IVOTY) awarded it the title of Vehicle of the Year 2027 during the IAA Transportation 2026 event in Hanover.

This award is particularly symbolic as it recognizes the manufacturer’s first software-defined vehicle (SDV). The Renault Trafic Van E-Tech electric succeeds the Kia PV5, which won the title in 2026.

The Renault Trafic electric outperforms six other finalists

To win this title, the new Trafic had to compete against particularly strong rivals. It surpassed six other finalists: the Kia PV7, Volkswagen Caddy Cargo, Farizon V7E, Hyundai Staria Electric, and Maxus Deliver 7, as well as the quartet of Citroën Berlingo, Fiat Doblo, Peugeot Partner, and Opel Combo.

The professional jury particularly highlighted the technical innovations of this French model, developed on the new RGEV medium van platform. Its key features include an 800-volt electric architecture and the OpenR evo system integrated with Google.

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After the Master and Kangoo, Renault achieves a triple victory

For Renault, this win is all the more satisfying as it allows them to complete a rather rare streak. The manufacturer had already won the International Van of the Year title in 2025 with the new generation of Master and in 2022 with the Kangoo. With the Trafic’s victory, all three main commercial vehicles in Renault’s lineup have now been honored in turn.

Renault now has four victories thanks to the 2027 Trafic, the 2025 Master, and the two generations of Kangoo that were awarded in 2022 and 2012.

A benchmark award for commercial vehicles

Established in 2006, the International Van of the Year award recognizes the most notable new models in the light commercial vehicle market each year. The trophy is presented during major industry events such as the IAA Transportation in Hanover or the Solutrans exhibition in Lyon. In recent years, several electric or significantly upgraded models have made it onto the list. Before the Trafic, the Kia PV5 was awarded in 2026, followed by the Renault Master in 2025, the Ford Transit Custom in 2024, and the Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo in 2023.