Electric And Hybrid Car Sales Continue To Climb In 2013

With more hybrid cars on the market than ever, it should come as no surprise that sales of hybrid vehicles continue to grow month after month. 2013 could prove to be a watershed year for hybrid cars though, with sales of both pure electric and hybrid vehicles putting on strong showings in an increasingly competitive car market.

The Chevy Volt surged to nearly 2700 sales in June of 2013, and year-to-date sales of GM’s plug-in hybrid are up by nearly a 1,000 units over 2012 (8817 to 9855). This is especially promising, given that several strong contenders in the plug-in hybrid market have emerged in recent months, especially from Ford and Toyota.

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Ford has proven an especially able contender, with its new C-Max Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, and C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid snatching away sales despite questions regarding the official MPG numbers. Ford hybrid sales in 2013 are up 400% compared to the same period in 2012, thanks largely to these new hybrid options.

If anyone is suffering from these new options, it is the Toyota Prius, which has seen its sales fall by almost 8% compared to the first half of 2012. Of course even with three other Prius models cannibalizing sales, the standard Prius remains far and away the biggest competitor for the hybrid crown.

And what of the pure electric contenders? The Nissan Leaf has enjoyed strong sales in 2013 thanks to a huge price cut, and sales in June of 2013 are up over 300% compared to June of 2012, with Nissan moving 2,138 units last month alone. Sales of the Leaf so far in 2012 are up almost 200%, with over 7,000 units moved from January to June.

One noticeable absence from this list? The Tesla Model S, as Tesla does not release sales numbers. With production estimated at 400 cars a week, and many thousands of backorders to work through, the Tesla Model S may or may not be the best-selling electric car in America.

These sales numbers mean big things for automakers and car buyers. Not only are Americans turning to hybrids and EVs in greater numbers, but the market for used hybrids is going to start surging. It will be increasingly easy to find a car driven by a hybrid or pure electric drivetrain on the used car market, allowing these high-tech, fuel-efficient vehicles to trickle down into the secondary car economy.

Exciting things are happening in the American car market. Stay tuned.

Source: Gas2.0