Though we pegged the 2012 Nissan Leaf as our winner for the best green car out there, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt has been named the 2011 Green Car of the Year at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show today.

The Green Car of the Year award is a title awarded by the Green Car Journal at the Los Angeles event each year. Its mission is to showcase environmental progress in the auto industry, and while in the past we’ve typically seen high-efficiency diesels win, this year is all about the electrics.

The Volt stood out in a stellar field of hybrid, electric and low emission vehicles that all feature exceptional efficiency and innovation in their approach to reducing the automobile's impact on the environment. The Volt is the first-ever electric vehicle to take top prize, highlighting the importance of such vehicles as we head towards the future.

The Green Car of the Year jury, comprised of six environmental and automotive experts along with Green Car Journal editors, selected the 2011 Chevrolet Volt from a field of five finalists that also included the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, and the Nissan Leaf.

[Green Car of the Year]