Toyota Prius Prime Tops May EV Sales Charts In US

EV sales in the US continued their strong growth in May. Topping the charts was the Toyota Prius Prime. Despite critically short supply, Toyota still managed to move 1,908 examples of its latest plug-in hybrid, giving it the US sales lead over the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt, and the Chevy Bolt. (Note: Model S and Model X sales are estimated. Tesla does not announce monthly sales totals and does not break out sales by nation.)

The Chevy Volt is leading the US sales race for the year versus the Tesla Model S, 9187 to 8645. Of course, when you combine Model S and Model X sales, Tesla is the clear overall winner. And for those who want to debate whether a plug-in hybrid should really be considered when reporting EV sales, we have had this conversation before and the answer is yes, they should be. Someday, plug-in sales will wane just as hybrid sales have done, but for the next decade or so, they will continue to be an important part of the transition away from traditional fossil fuel burning cars.

Ford has yet to announce is May sales numbers, but there are some interesting things to note in the chart. Chrysler sold 205 of its Pacifca Hybrid minivans in its first full month on sale. That’s a pretty good start for this brand new vehicle and it will be interesting to track its sales numbers over time.

The lowly Fiat 500e posted 665 sales. Since the vast majority of those are in California, it is interesting that the BMW i3, which is sold nationwide, only managed a dismal 18 sales. The Nissan LEAF continues to pick up sales, even as customers await the arrival of the second generation car later this year. The LEAF has established a reputation for being comfortable and reliable, if a bit odd in the styling department.

Overall, EV sales were up 25% over May last year and are up 40% through the first five months of 2917. Are the numbers still small compared to the total new car market? Yes, they are. But if this pace continues, the tipping point between conventional cars and those with plugs is getting closer every month.

Source and chart: Inside EVs