June EV Sales Off 16% In US Despite Strong Showing From Tesla

The Tesla Model S Was The Only Strong Performer In June For EV Sales In The US

While Tesla Model S was up to the task of competing with arguably the toughest year-over-year comps to be found in 2015, the rest of the plug-in lineup experienced a summer malaise of sorts.

Help For US Plug-In Sales Arrives Starting In September With The 2016 Chevrolet Volt

For June, an estimated 10,365 sales plug-in vehicles were sold – about 10% lower than last month effort and 16% off the previous June (which still stands as the second best selling month on record in the US).

Running away from the field (again) was the Tesla Model S.

We estimate Tesla sold 2,800 EVs in North America last month – its best showing of the year, while separately the company stated worldwide sales in the second quarter came in higher than expected with 11,507 cars moved.

How anemic was the rest of the field?   Of the next 11 top selling plug-in vehicles in the US, not even one managed to beat its own numbers from the month prior.

Still, we have to find a silver lining or two out there somewhere.  Looking at the glass half full, we find that Nissan almost bested its 2015 high in June with 2,074 sales – off by just 30 units, and the Spark EV still managed to somehow sell 226 copies with incredibly thin inventories.

Fortunately, the low sales are not without reason.  And no, it’s not the price of gas, or a lack of consumer demand surroundingelectric vehicles.

As we have been forecasting since before the year began, the summer of 2015 was never going to be pretty, as the top selling EVs go into generational changeover and we also wait on much anticipated new models to arrive.

Currently, both the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius PHV are out of production while waiting on new model changeovers, and the all-time US best seller – Nissan LEAF is waiting on a longer range option for this fall, while SUV buyers patiently wait on the Tesla Model X to arrive in September.

So, while the wider media’s outlook might turn lower on electric vehicles this Summer, we know better – and that it will be riding an all time high come the Fall.

2015 Monthly Sales Chart For The Major Plug-In Automakers – *Estimated Tesla NA Sales Numbers – Reconciled on Quarterly Totals, ** Fiat Does Not Report Sales Directly, Estimate Based on State/Rebate Data

Some Other Point Of Interest From June:

Electric Cars Dominate The Sales Landscape In The US For June

Top Manufacturers Of Plug-In Vehicles:

1. Tesla Motors – 2,800*
2. Nissan – 2,074
3. Ford – 1,546
4. GM – 1,513
5. BMW – 688
6. Toyota – 464

Pure Electric Car Market Share vs PHEV In June*

1. BEV – 6,599 – 64%
2. PHEV – 3,766 – 36%

New 2015 Highs Set In June By Model (previous 2015 high in brackets)

• Tesla Model S – 2,800 (2,400)
• Kia Soul EV – 109 (108)
• Mitsubishi i-MiEV – 24 (18)