New cars
and trucks are selling at a blistering pace in the U.S. right now, adding to a seventh consecutive year of volume growth for the industry.
and trucks are selling at a blistering pace in the U.S. right now, adding to a seventh consecutive year of volume growth for the industry.
But with half the year gone, sales of plug-in electric cars are in something of a holding pattern despite a surge last month, pending the launch of two key products.
are in something of a holding pattern despite a surge last month, pending the launch of two key products.
Those are the 2016 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, with its 50-mile electric range and gasoline engine, and an updated 2016 Nissan Leaf thought to have a range of 100-plus miles.
, with its 50-mile electric range and gasoline engine, and an updated 2016 Nissan Leaf thought to have a range of 100-plus miles.
Until those cars arrive in volume on dealer lots, plug-in sales are growing--but not as much as they have in recent years.
For June, 2,074 Nissan Leafs were delivered to buyers--bringing the half-year total to 9,816 , compared to 12,736 during the same period in 2014.
Total U.S. Leaf sales are now 82,138, increasing its lead over the outgoing Chevy Volt--and adding to its position as the best-selling electric car in history.
in history.
Last week, in fact, Nissan and its partner Renault delivered their quarter-millionth electric car. More than 180,000 of that total were Nissan Leafs.
2016 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid - details of Voltec drivetrain from SAE presentations, Feb 2015
The Chevrolet Volt, meanwhile, saw 1,225 sales in June--its second-highest month this year--for a six-month total of 5,662. Total U.S. Volt deliveries are now 78,979.
The 2016 Volt is now in pre-production at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, and we expect it will start showing up at dealers in California sometime during September.
Supplies for the rest of the country will follow during the rest of the autumn.
As always, Tesla Motors refuses to release monthly sales figures--or indeed sales by country--for its Model S luxury electric car.
The company did promise last quarter to release total global sales for the quarter within a few days after the quarter closes, so we look forward to that piece of data in the next few days.
The remaining high-volume plug-in vehicle is the BMW i3, which in battery-electric and range-extended versions combined has exceeded 1,000 units a month several times over the last year.
In June, however, just 551 units were delivered, possibly due to rumored supply shortages owing to demand in other global markets.
For the first six months of 2015, a total of 4,456 i3s have found buyers in the U.S. market--making the little carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic electric minicar either the third- or fourth-best-selling plug-in car in the country just 14 months after it launched.
Plug-in hybrids
As for the higher-volume plug-in hybrid models, the plug-in Toyota Prius racked up 464 sales, about average for the six-month period that saw a total of 2,890 delivered.
That compares to 9,300 during the same first half last year, and reflects both the waning of the model and an end to the supply of green stickers for single-occupant carpool-lane access in its stronghold California market.
The Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid ended production last month; a new model will lag this autumn's launch of the all-new 2016 Prius hybrid model by at least several months.
Sales of the pair of plug-in hybrid models from Ford will be reported tomorrow.
The Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, always a limited and low-volume contender, sold four units in June, for a six-month total of only 59. It will be withdrawn from the market after this year.
Low-volume and compliance cars
Finally, as always, we're aggregating data for the many lower-volume vehicles--with sales of, say, 300 or less a month--that make up the majority of the two dozen plug-in electric vehicles offered for sale in (parts of) the U.S.
Just 62 Cadillac ELR range-extended electric sport coupes were delivered in June, its lowest monthly total since May 2014. The ELR's half-year total is 593 sold to date.
were delivered in June, its lowest monthly total since May 2014. The ELR's half-year total is 593 sold to date.
In that same price range, Porsche's pair of plug-in hybrid luxury sports models saw sales of 88 for the Cayenne SUV and 34 for the Panamera large sedan. The first-half totals for the two cars were 486 and 230, respectively.
luxury sports models saw sales of 88 for the Cayenne SUV and 34 for the Panamera large sedan. The first-half totals for the two cars were 486 and 230, respectively.
At a higher price than any of the above (base price: $135,000) were the 137 gull-winged BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sport coupes, for a six-month total of 733 (and total deliveries since going on sale last August of 1,288.
, for a six-month total of 733 (and total deliveries since going on sale last August of 1,288.
At more achievable prices, 293 Volkswagen e-Golfs were sold in June, bringing the half-year total to 1,518. An additional 357 were sold in November and December last year.)
The other German compact five-door hatchback, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive, saw sales of 242 for a six-month total of 1,172.
No Honda Fit EVs or Toyota RAV4 EVs were delivered in June, and both models have now been discontinued after meeting their compliance goals under California's zero-emission vehicle rules.
EVs were delivered in June, and both models have now been discontinued after meeting their compliance goals under California's zero-emission vehicle rules.
Fiat refuses to break out sales of its 500e battery-electric minicar; Kia does the same for its Soul EV electric tall wagon.
This article will be updated multiple times during the day as data is released. Figures for Ford's vehicles will arrive tomorrow.
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