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Tesla Model 3 grabs UK Car of the Year Award for 2020
The Tesla Model 3 grabbed the UK Car of the Year 2020 award after bagging the Best Executive vehicle category in February.
The Model 3 victory registered a back-to-back win for electric vehicles following Jaguar I-PACE’s win last year. It is also quite an achievement for a young manufacturer such as Tesla that snatched its first-ever win in the UKCOTY Awards.
“Game-changer is an often-overused phrase, but the Tesla Model 3 has shaken up the executive segment and got many brands thinking. Electric vehicles attract a broad spectrum of opinions, but it’s clear that with its technology, performance and range, the Model 3 is converting a lot of people,” said director of the UK Car of the Year Awards John Challen.
The panel of journalist judges consists of 29 respected individuals in the automotive field.
“Clean, crisp and technological inside, the Model 3 drives and performs like we think EVs should. Makes others in the sector feel stuffy and awkward,” said Tom Ford of Top Gear.
Other judges were all praises for the mass-produced electric sedan. Chris Knapman of CarGurus did not only gave his nod for the Model 3 being packed with features but for its “exciting ownership experience” as well. Paul Berker of Company Car Today and freelancer Guy Bird were in agreement that the electric sedan deserved the win for how it shakes the segment with its desirability and affordability.
The Tesla Model 3 bested eight other champions in different categories to win the overall title:
Best Supermini – Renault Clio
Best Small Hatch – Mazda3
Best Luxury – Bentley Flying Spur
Best Estate – BMW 3 Series
Best Crossover – Kia e-Niro
Best Premium Crossover – Range Rover Evoque
Best Cabriolet – Porsche 911
Best Performance – Porsche Taycan
“A huge thank you to all the UK Car of the Year judges for choosing Model 3 as well as all of our UK owners. We are proud of what this car has achieved so far and with the upcoming 0% company car tax there is an exciting year ahead for EVs in the UK,” Tesla UK stated upon receiving its award at the Car of the Year 2020 event.
It is also nice to take note that three of the nine champions in their respective categories were all-electric vehicles, proving that the quality and performance of EVs is not only nearing, but exceeding that of internal combustion cars. The Kia e-Niro grabbed the second place while the Porsche Taycan finished third together with the BMW 3 Series.
The UKCOTY Awards is an independent set of awards that put a spotlight on the best new cars in the UK market.
The Tesla Model 3 has won numerous awards in the past year or so. It took the “Car Of The Year” award from UK’s Parker’s Car Guides and was also named best electric car, best company car, and vehicle with best safety by the same publication. Meanwhile, Motortrend shortlisted the Tesla Model 3 as one of the three finalists for its 2020 Car of The Year award while also naming it as the best sports sedan on the market.
The Model 3 is also the only American-made car in Consumer Reports’ Top Picks of 2020.
Tesla has quietly opened a public interest form for companies that want to buy fleets of its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxis, marking the first official channel for commercial purchases of the two-seat autonomous vehicle. The form went live on September 3, the same day Tesla hosted an invite-only Cybercab launch event in Austin, Texas.
Tesla titled the page “Help Us Build Our Robotaxi Network.” Applicants provide name, email, phone number, company name, and deployment region. They then select one or more categories: Cybercab fleet vehicle purchasing, mobility hubs and infrastructure, event collaboration, or other. Tesla says a representative will follow up with those who express commercial interest.
Tesla has introduced a new form that you can fill out if you are interested in purchasing a fleet of Cybercabs:
Form: https://t.co/Ut0yoiEyXD pic.twitter.com/uuaCXmksIO
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
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Until now, the company had no public ordering path for the vehicle, which was first shown as a concept at the October 2024 “We, Robot” event.
The Cybercab is designed from the ground up for unsupervised operation. It has no steering wheel and no pedals.
Regulatory filings list a 48-kilowatt-hour battery, a single 219-horsepower front motor, a curb weight of 3,113 pounds, and an EPA-adjusted range near 290 to 300 miles. Tesla has already registered dozens of the vehicles with Texas authorities and has been testing them on public streets around Austin.
Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus
The company’s existing Robotaxi service, which currently uses modified Model Y vehicles in parts of Texas and Florida, is expected to add Cybercabs as production ramps up at Gigafactory Texas.
The form signals that Tesla is preparing to treat the Cybercab as more than an in-house fleet asset. Investors and operators have discussed buying groups of the vehicles and placing them on Tesla’s ride-hailing network, with Tesla taking a platform fee. High-profile figures have publicly stated plans to acquire fleets if Tesla allows third-party ownership.
The new page gives those parties a direct way to register interest rather than waiting for a conventional configurator.
Whether the form leads quickly to firm purchase agreements remains unclear. Regulatory approval for widespread unsupervised operation still varies by state, and Tesla has not published pricing or delivery timelines for fleet customers. The company has previously discussed a target price near $25,000 to $30,000 per vehicle.
For now, the form is an early signal that Tesla wants partners to help scale the network rather than operate every Cybercab itself.
Pairing the launch of the Cybercab fleet form with the Austin event is no coincidence. Tesla is inviting businesses to participate in the next phase of its Robotaxi plan at the moment the production vehicle first appears in public.
Tesla has updated its Robotaxi app so riders can pick which vehicle they want before they book. The latest in-app screens now show two options side by side: the two-seat Cybercab and the four-seat Model Y.
A screenshot circulating Thursday shows the change in practice. In Austin, a rider could choose a gold Cybercab for two people or a Model Y for four. Tesla’s updated description calls Cybercab “our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle,” designed for safety, accessibility, and comfort, and says the lineup is available only through the Robotaxi app.
Tesla has updated their Robotaxi page in the App Store. You’ll be able to select if you want a Cybercab or Model Y Robotaxi.
“Our Robotaxi vehicle lineup now includes Cybercab, our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle. Designed for safety, accessibility and comfort, Cybercab… pic.twitter.com/Jff4klilDr
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
The distinction is more than cosmetic, and it’s important to note that Robotaxi refers to the platform, while Cybercab refers to a vehicle.
Model Y Robotaxis have carried the service since it opened in Austin in mid-2025 and later expanded to Dallas, Houston, and parts of Florida. Those vehicles are converted production SUVs that still have steering wheels and pedals.
Cybercab is different. It has no driver controls, butterfly doors, a low seat height meant to work with wheelchairs, extra trunk space for assistive devices, and braille on the handles. Tesla has registered dozens of the two-seaters with Texas regulators in the days leading up to its September 3 Austin event.
Giving riders a choice lets Tesla match the vehicle to the trip. Most rides involve one or two people, which is where Cybercab is meant to be cheaper and more efficient to operate. Groups of three or four, or anyone who needs more space, can still request a Model Y.
The same app handles booking, payment, cabin settings, and, on Cybercab, features such as phone-based door opening and in-cabin voice controls.
The update does not mean every city suddenly has both cars available. Cybercab support is listed for Austin first, and the purpose-built fleet is still small compared with the existing Model Y roster. Even so, the app change marks a shift from a single-vehicle pilot to a mixed fleet.
Riders can now choose between the compact, purpose-built robotaxi and the familiar SUV that launched the service.
Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.
Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.
However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.
The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.
Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:
20+ Cybercabs spotted near Miami international airport. pic.twitter.com/ORLsw8yFhf
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.
Cybercab at the Devon location in PA has multiplied over the weekend. Seeing a few more test vehicles in the lot 👀 pic.twitter.com/DhJT4P1EkU
— Billy (@billykyle) August 22, 2026
Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.
Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.
Tesla hints its already prepping for Cybercab fleet orders
Tesla Robotaxi riders will face the best dilemma when booking a ride
