i-MiEV doesn't survive Mitsubishi's updated EV plan

Mitsubishi will increase the number of electrified models in its lineup through the end of the decade, but the company's focus on crossovers will mean the axe for the aging i-MiEV. The flurry of new or updated models will begin arriving as soon as next year, and the automaker will offer nearly all of them in plug-in hybrid or electric versions, according to Automotive News.

Rather than dedicated EVs like the i-MiEV, Mitsubishi will instead offer gasoline and electrified variants of a future lineup with three sizes of crossovers. The company will follow the current trend of coupe-like CUVs with its own version, including a plug-in hybrid option, between the Outlander Sport and Outlander sometime after the autumn of 2017, Automotive Newsreports. A new Outlander with a PHEV model will come after 2017, and a next-gen Outlander Sport with an EV trim will arrive around 2019. There won't be a Lancer replacement.

"We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives. And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the US market," Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko said to Automotive News.

Mitsubishi already offered a preview of its next-gen CUV design language with the eX Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The compact crossover evolved the styling of the refreshed Outlander's X-shape grille, and it featured a floating roof that created the appearance of a wraparound greenhouse. Power came from an electric motor at the front and rear axle and a 45-kWh lithium-ion battery.

In the nearer term, the wait for the Outlander PHEV will finally end because the long-delayed plug-in crossover will launch in the US around the middle of next year. Earlier rumors suggested a possible arrival around April 2016, but the vehicle was previously reported to come here as early as the fall of 2014.

First Date: 2015 Mitsubishi iMiEV

This week, I was excited to be testing the 2015 Mitsubishi iMiEV electric car. Other Gas 2 writers checked out earlier versions of the tiny EV, but 2014 brought a freshened interior, upgraded sound, and a lower price to the table. Would that be enough to make me fall in love with the little Mitsu, run out to the dealer and buy one? Let’s see!

How We Met + First Impressions

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As a fan of strange and ridiculous things, I’ve been something of an admirer of the iMiEV for years. It was always a bit “out there”, stylistically, and totally unafraid of being itself in the face of whatever theMean Girl larger car companies were putting out there as an EV/hybrid “look”. Still, by most accounts the car had a relatively short effective range- much less than the Kia Soul EV, for example- and that was a bit of a concern.

I guess you could say that I was hopeful. I wasn’t totally and completely sold on the Mitsubishi iMiEV going into our first date, but I really wanted to like the car.

What I Learned

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Despite sharing a common badge with cars like the Lancer Evolution and Mirage, this Mitsubishi was clearly developed in a different time, for a different place. Even beyond the styling, the car has a very European feel- in the sense that the super-light doors slam shut with a “tink” that reminded everyone who heard it of an old Fiat or Opel. Still, the car had the basics covered: AC, power windows/locks, and a modern infotainment system with NAV and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Mitsubishi iMiEV ticked a lot of the right boxes, in other words. It was visually interesting, if not beautiful. It had a playful and bohemian vibe, even if it wasn’t exactly built to the bank-vault standards of a Mercedes-Benz. And, perhaps best of all, it was wearing a retina-searing shade of electric blue that made it really stand out from the crowd- in a good way. I’m definitely looking forward to getting to know the little iMiEV a whole lot better!

3-Wheel EV Concept — Tulip - VIDEO

A concept electric vehicle called Tulip was recently unveiled by designer Ognyan Bozhilov on Behance and YouTube. I’m not sure what Ognyan needs to actually produce this vehicle, and I typically don’t cover vehicles unless they look like they have a pretty solid path to commercialization, but this one looked too cool to pass up. There are a bunch of images on Behance, and here’s the YouTube video:

At the least, Ognyan has some seriously awesome design and computerized video production skills. But I think he is genuinely intent on bringing this to market, too. He shared these specs today:

Motor: 7kW
Battery Capacity: in the range of 80-100 Ah
Range: ~ 100 km.
Max Speed: 80-90 km/h

That top speed is basically 50-55 mph (for the Americans among us). Not bad. Might be useful to bump it up to 65 to 70 mph, but I don’t think I’d want to take that on the Interstate anyway.

The range translates to 62 miles. Not superb, but in the same ballpark as most electric cars on the market (actually exactly the same as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and more than the Renault Twizy), which is enough for something like 95–99% of trips in the US, and surely a higher percentage in European markets.

Here are a few of the pics from the Behance page:

Canada Offering EV Rebate Via Cash-For-Clunkers Program

In the summer of 2009, America’s official Cash for Clunkers program got underway, with the hopes of propping up a floundering auto industry and getting old, polluting cars off the road. The Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) has launched it’s own Cash-For-Clunkers program, but with the $3,250 rebates only good towards the purchase of a plug-in car, reports Autos.ca.

British Columbia actually ended up a test case for what happens when local governments remove incentives for buying plug-in cars. The results made it clear that incentives for plug-in car drivers really do make a difference, which encouraged BC to develop a new Scrap-It program targeting cars age 15 years or older. Drivers who turn in their old cars to be recycled will receive a $3,250 rebate towards the purchase of an electric car or Chevy Volt/Cadillac ELR, but interestingly enough, no other plug–in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Considering Vancouver recently scrapped about $90 million worth of hydrogen buses, it seems like maybe Canada has gotten its fill of fuel cells.

The $3,000 rebate (plus $250 from car dealers) is more than the book value of many pre-200 vehicles. That’s not the only incentive BC has to offer plug-in car buyers though, as the provincial government is expected to re-introduce an up-to $5,000 rebate for the purchase of a plug-in car, though it’s unclear whether the $2,500 rebate for plug-in hybrids will also make a comeback. For those willing to go pure electric though, the rebates could add up to more than $8,000 off the MSRP of an electric car, though other parts of the land of hockey and maple syrup can get up to $11,000 in incentives.

That’s Canadian dollars, I should note, and the $8,000 BC incentive works out to about $6,400 in America. U.S. citizens benefit from a $7,500 tax rebate, plus state incentives like Georgia’s $5,000 rebate that can reduce the price of some EVs like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV by more than half. Considering what a difference rebates make to plug-in car sales though, and that this program can take some real inefficient cars off the road, this program is a win-win for environmentalists.

2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV Coming In March

Most people don’t realize there was no Mitsubishi i-MiEV in 2015. There wasn’t one in 2013 either. The car has gotten very little attention from the parent company, even though it is the lowest priced pure battery car sold in America.

Whether the car is not up to expectations or whether Mitsubishi has failed to market it effectively, the fact remains that less than 2000 of them have been sold since it went on sale here in the US. During that same period, Nissan has found more than 72,000 buyers for its all electric LEAF.

One of the reasons for that is the car’s short range. The most it can manage on a clear day with a tail wind is 62 miles from its tiny 16 kWh battery. For those who don’t have far to go, it is the perfect commuter car and most of its owners are quite happy with their i-MiEV’s. But for most folks, it just doesn’t have enough range for their needs.

Has Mitsubishi learned anything from its 4 years of on again, off again experience with the i-MiEV? Apparently not, or not much, at any rate. The 2016 model features the same 16 kWh battery and the same 62 miles of range. The company did add DC fast charging capability to the 2014 car and has fiddled with the mix of interior options like seat heaters and cruise control, but for all practical purposes, the new car will be indistinguishable from the old car.

Mitsubishi has always had a love/hate relationship with America. Even though it builds good cars, their reputation for reliability has never equalled that of Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Most of that has less to do with the products and more to do with its ragtag dealer network which has been frankly awful for decades. While the latest plug in Outlander has been selling well in Europe and Asia, it has been kept off the American market for 3 years while Mitsubishi executives dithered.

If you need a low priced battery electric with only 60 miles of range, the i-MiEV is a real car that offers real value. Check it out soon at your local Mitsubishi dealer — if you can find one.

Plug-In Car Sales Top 100,000 For 2014

With November’s sales figures still being tabulated, Inside EVs reports that 2014 sales of plug-in hybrids and electric cars in the US have already topped 105,000 units through the end of November with another month of sales still to come.

That’s a substantial increase over 2013, when a total of 97,507 cars were sold in the entire year. If the current pace continues through December, the total for calendar year 2014 should exceed 114,000 vehicles. Avid followers of plug-in and EV sales can follow Inside EV’s monthly sales tracker for up to the minute reports.

Of course, some will say that the total number of plug in and EV cars sold is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the number of conventional cars being purchased. Industry analysts expect total vehicle sales in the US market to top 17 million in 2014. But the trend toward EVs and plug-ins is growing. Navigant Research predicts they will account for about 2.5% of all sales worldwide by 2023.

Nissan’s LEAF all electric vehicle is the overall sales leader in the US with monthly sales averaging around 2500 cars. The Chevy Volt is next with about 1700 sales per month and the Tesla Model S is in third place, delivering about 1400 cars every month. The chart includes several models that have just become available, such as the Kia Soul EV, Volkswagen e-Golf and Porsche Cayenne S-E.

Plug-In SUV To Replace Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

For the past couple of years Mitsubishi has gone back and forth on the fate of its premier sports car, the Lancer Evolution, teasing us with the idea of a hybrid successor before killing the idea completely. Instead, reports AutoCar, we’ll get a performance version of an unspecified plug-in hybrid SUV.

The company hasn’t decided which SUV will get a performance plug-in drivetrain, only that it will feature technology and knowledge gleaned from the company’s two i-MiEV Pikes Peak racers. The Super All Wheel Control system from the i-MiEV racers will send gas or electric power to all four wheels in the spirit of the Evo, though it’ll need to make a lot of power in order to move an SUV versus the compact sedan that was the Lancer. It’s also possible an all-new model, possibly based on the XR-PHEV concept, might just debut instead.

Mitsubishi basically has two options from this point; up the ante with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which is raking in the sales in Europe, or the smaller Outlander Sport, which could benefit from an injection of performance. The smaller Outlander Sport model makes the most sense if Mitsubishi really wants to embody the spirit of the departing Lancer Evo, but Mitsubishi already tipped its cards with the Outlander PHEV S Concept that debuted last week.

After Mitsubishi i-MiEV sales failed to take off, the company seems to have pulled back from its pure electric ambitions. Instead it is pursuing plug-in hybrids, with an all-new compact truck and a van version of the Outlander on deck.

Can a plug-in SUV fill the shoes of the Lancer Evo? That’s been the cause of intense debate within Mitsubishi, and once fans catch whiff of this move, they’re sure to have a few cents to add to the conversation as well.

Source: Gas 2.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Van For UK

If you live in the UK, the government will give you up to $8,300 if you buy a plug-in hybrid vehicle for personal use. But if you buy a PHEV for business use, it will send as much $13,300 your way. And if you drive it exclusively for business purposes, it will rebate 20% of the sales tax you paid.

Governments set the rules and the rest of us play along, and to take advantage of the UK government’s generosity, Mitsubishi has decided to make its hot selling Outlander PHEV into a commercial vehicle. How? Strip out the rear seats, replace the rear windows with sheet metal and fit the rear with a heavy duty load bed. Voila, it’s a van!

Mitsubishi calls its repurposed van the Outlander PHEV 4Work. The fact that it gets great gas mileage, has tremendous range, and comes with an advance all-wheel drive system makes buying one a no-brainer for British business owners.

Turning passenger cars into commercial vehicles is a time honored tradition around the world. Here in the US, Chrysler has converted lots of Caravans into beasts of burden for the post office and other folks who need to haul stuff around for business purposes. It’s possible the Outlander PHEV 4Work will be available in the US as soon as 2016 as well, though the regular passenger model has yet to launch.

Source: Motoring Research

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Proves Its MPG

Mitsubishi claims its Outlander plug-in hybrid has a driving range of 824 kilometers, or about 512 miles. But we all know such claims can fall short in real world driving, which is why Härkingen, the Swiss importer for Mitsubishi, decided to verify the factory’s numbers.

Felix Egolf – a pioneer in the field of ultra-efficient driving over long distances – was hired to drive the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV from company headquarters to Basel and then through the Vosges mountains to Metz. From there, Egolf went through Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands before ending his journey at the offices of the Dutch Mitsubishi importer in Amstelveen. In total, the route used highways about 40% of the time, but the rest of the journey was on back roads and in mountainous terrain.

At Amstelveen, the Mitsubishi Outlander had covered 729 kilometers and had 90 kilometers of range remaining. So Egolf then drove the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to a photo shoot in Amsterdam and then on to Utrecht. When he filled the tank, the Outlander has covered 830 kilometers in mixed driving, 6 more than the factory claims possible under ideal conditions.

For once, factory numbers were achieved in real world conditions and Härkingen can assure its customers they can expect their fuel economy to closely match the factory estimate. Mitsubishi has made an effort to deliver better MPG ratings in light of several high profile fuel economy downgrades in the past year.

Congratulations Mitsubishi on selling a car that does exactly what you said it would.

Source: Gas 2.

2014 Mitsubishi iMiEV Shows Off at Chicago Auto Show

Mitsubishi’s tiny iMiEV electric runabout was one of those cars that, when it first came out, didn’t make a ton of sense. For starters, it was undersized. Beyond that, the paint choices were a bit off, 3-spoke rims that were 20 years past their sell-by date, and the interior’s look and feel was terribly, unforgivably cheap feeling. Once you factored in the car’s $30K (plus!) price tag, that awful interior went from “terribly, unforgivably cheap” to downright laughable. That was in 2012.

At the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, however, Mitsubishi showed off an updated iMiEV that featured a leather-wrapped steering wheel in place of the rubbery plastic one, along with heated leather seats, an updated audio system, less outdated matte paint, and good-looking alloys. As if that wasn’t enough to merit a second look from the would-be EV buyer, Mitsubishi has radically dropped the iMiEV’s price every year since its introduction- as of show time, you could buy a new, 2014 Mitsubishi iMiEV for a net MSRP of just $15,495.

Granted, the updated Mitsubishi iMiEV doesn’t have the furthest range or the the best-looking sheet metal in the EV universe- but it’ll get most Americans where they need to go in a given day and do so for about half the price of, say, the $20,000 pricier Ford Focus electric (which, for all its apparent advantages over the iMiEV, lacks any kind of usable trunk).

More features, less money. You’ve gotta love Mitsubishi’s approach- so, if you’re in the market for an EV, I think that you definitely owe the little iMiEV a test drive.

Source: Gas 2.

Mitsubishi Motors North America Factory Tour

Nestled into the plains of Normal, Illinois and about the size of a small planet, Mitsubishi Motors North America’s factory will build about 70,000 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport models this year. That much I knew. What I didn’t realize was how much was really going on at the old Diamond-Star plant, or how much work MMNA put into making sure things are done right.

My tour began a few hours earlier as I drove out from Chicago early that Friday morning. The traffic was relatively light on I-55, and the AWD system on the 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport I was driving made short work of whatever snow and ice was on the road. At a tick over 70 MPH over the bitterly cold, two hour long drive, the Outlander gave back 25.8 MPG, according to its trip computer.

Not bad.

Once I got to Normal, IL, it was easy enough to find the MMNA factory. As I said, it’s the size of a planet, and seemed almost impossibly large- even knowing, as I did, that the plant pushed out nearly a quarter of a million cars per year back in the heyday of the Mitsubishi Eclipse/Eagle Talon twins. In the parking lot, I was greeted by a number of iMiEV electric cars …

… which served to let me know both that I was in the right place, and that Mitsubishi’s (and, indeed, Normal’s) commitment to EVs is a real thing.

Once inside, I met with Mitsubishi North America’s COO Jerry Berwanger. Berwanger is a gear head of the first order. He had more than 20 years’ experience at Ford before coming to sit in the big chair at Mitsubishi, and is capable of talking about his show-winning custom Harley-Davidsons, his Plymouth-powered “rat rod” pickup, his goals for the MMNA factory, and Mitsubishi’s excellent relationship with the UAW with equal knowledge, equal pride, and equal excitement.

“We’re the only transplant (foreign manufacturer) in the US that has a deal with the UAW,” says Jerry, as he pours me a coffee. “Mercedes doesn’t have one. BMW, Nissan, none of them.”

“Doesn’t that make it harder for you? Like, if GM or Ford does something the UAW doesn’t like, would your guys strike, as well?” I asked, like a good little conservabot.

“We have a no strike clause in our agreement with them,” he said.

“How’d you manage that?” I asked.

“We have a no layoffs clause, as well.”

I was floored. GM, Ford, Chrysler- all the big automakers let thousands upon thousands of workers go in the 90s and 00s, even before the crash in 2009. The idea that a factory which had, at one point, churned out 250,000 cars per year was carrying the same staff now, at a bit under 70,000, blew my mind. “How do you manage that?”

“It wasn’t easy,” he said.

I suddenly remembered reading about workers doing community service in the area, cleaning up the factory, planting trees, etc. It was a neat image, and the idea that Mitsubishi’s fate in North America was tied to its workers’ that directly gave me all sorts of warm and fuzzy feelings.

After a bit more small talk, we headed down to the factory floor. Picture-taking was a no-no, but if you’ve ever seen an episode of How It’s Made, you’ll have a good sense of what it looked like in the Mitsu factory. Except, you know, a thousand times bigger and louder.

Our first stop was a plastic molding station, where the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport’s plastic bumpers and fenders are made. The machines press plastic pellets into a mould under tremendous pressures, and the parts are then trimmed and checked for compliance. If they pass, they go on a cart to be picked later in the assembly process. If they don’t, they get chopped up, and the plastic bits get used again in another part.

Instant recycling.

Berwanger explains that, in most factories, the plastic parts are shipped in from a supplier. If they don’t fit or aren’t right for some other reason, the plant might be stuck until the next batch arrives. At MMNA, the plastic compound, the mix’s temperature, even the moulding dies themselves can be changed and corrected. It keeps the plant moving and reduces the need to ship and transport a bunch of plastic parts.

Jerry also explained that MMNA uses a number of recycled and recyclable materials, in addition to the plastic. “A lot of the sheet steel we use is recyclable, and we send the metal we trim or cut off to scrap, where it gets melted back into the mix and sent back to us as a new roll of steel.”

We geeked out over the high-precision robots throughout the MMNA factory, and stopped at several points along the line to see some of the more interesting robots. Some of the best included the wheel-mounting ‘bot, as well as the robotic gymnasts that spun and contorted themselves with laser-guided precision to mount the dashboard and seats in the cars, without touching or scratching any other part. I’d even say the process looked “like a sort of mechanical ballet”, if I wasn’t certain someone cleverer had thought of it before me.

One thing that struck me as odd, some of the Mitsubishi Outlander Sports I was seeing had blacked-out grilles, black roof rails, and rode on steely wheels with deep, all-season treaded tires. “What are those?” I asked.

“Those are going to Russia,” explained Berwanger. He went on to explain that, for the most part, the Russian-bound cars were identical to the US versions. Here and there, however, there were differences. Different colors, interior trim, wheel options, and differences in the exterior lighting were the most obvious. Up close, the interior of the Russian cars had a few less buttons, but were still obviously quality pieces.

Russia is the factory’s biggest export market, I was told. Followed by a few other South American and eastern European nations, all of whom could get the Outlander Sport in a paramilitary-looking beige with blacked-out trim look.

“That would sell like crazy here in the ‘States,” I told Berwanger, who gave me a doubtful sort of nod in polite response. Apparently, MMNA’s market studies suggest otherwise.

Once we cleared the assembly line, we checked out MMNA’s quality control area. Here, cars are driven on rolling chassis dynos and the freshly-minted Mitsubishi Outlander Sports are checked by an auditor in a specially lit room. Any flaws the auditor finds are rated on a 1, 3, or 5 scale. The idea is that, if a flaw is found and rated a “3″, then “3 out of 10″ customers would notice it. 1s and 3s are corrected, but if a 5 is found, then the workers on-hand have to go out into the lot and check the day’s batch of cars. If the flaw is found in another car, they all get pulled back in for the fix.

That’s some pretty serious QC, and the “polar vortices” we’ve been seeing in Illinois this month have to be pretty serious motivators to get the job right.

Here’s a few more photos of that process, which really impressed me. What about you, dear readers? Do you think the system works, or- more importantly- do you think Mitsubishi should offer a black-grilled, off-roady version of its Outlander Sport here in the US? Let us know what you think in the comments, below.

Source: Gas 2, photos courtesy MMNA.

December 2013 Plug-In Electric Vehicle Sales Report Card

Thanks To The Tax Implications Of The $7,500 Federal Credit On Plug-Ins, December Will End The Year Strong For Electric Vehicle Sales

While the year will fall just short of 100,000 plug-in vehicles sold in America, the second half growth of the industry is undeniable as nearly 40% more cars were sold between July and December – a trend we hope continues into 2014.

For the month, the burning questions are:

• Can Ford’s Energi products (Fusion and C-Max) continue to shine?
• Nissan announced late in December that new production capacity has finally come online for the LEAF…after 9 months of waiting, just what is the public’s demand for Nissan’s 75 mile EV?
• How long will it take Toyota to recover lost inventory after Prius PHV price cut obliterated dealer stock in October?
• A few Cadillac ELRs found their way into customer’s hands for Christmas, but how much demand will there be for the $75,000 plug-in?  And how many sales did GM lose on the Chevrolet Volt in 2013,  as production of the best selling EV in US history was stunted over the past 4 months?

NOTE:  This sales list is published in REAL TIME, starting on Friday January 3rd in the early AM with GM’s numbers.  The rest of the automakers publish their results throughout the course of the day and these charts will be populated the moment those numbers are available.  So if you don’t see your favorite EV’s sales list as of yet…check back again soon, they are coming.

Below you can find the results for your own favorite plug-in vehicle, plus a look behind the numbers as well. Additionally, waaaaaay down at the bottom of the story is the year-to-date graph of all the EV auto sales by month.

(last update: 2:02pm January 3rd, 2014)

2014 Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt: For December 2,392 Volts were sold, which was down 9.2% over December of 2012, when GM sold an impressive 2,633. (full story here)

Previously in November 1,920 Volts were sold, which was actually an increase over 2012 when just 1,519 were moved off dealer lots.

December’s result means that GM sold less extended range Chevys in 2013 than 2012.   23,094 were sold in 2013 vs 23,461 – a loss of 1.9%

To blame for the year-over-year miss is an inventory situation we first alluded to in October.

Basically, GM overbuilt 2013 model year stock in the summer, thinking they had enough inventory so they could temper 2014 production as well as also start to build out the Cadillac ELR.  However, a big price reduction in the 2014 edition of the Volt (down to $34,995) made clearance deals on the 2013s very attractive to customers and has put GM in a hold on 2014 inventory they have yet to dig themselves out of.

There is currently just over 2,000 2014 Chevrolet Volts available for sale across the US, well below the historical norms.  We expect this situation to be rectified quickly in January and February – unfortunately demand for plug-ins is historically very week in the first quarter of a new fiscal year.

2013 Nissan LEAF – 2014s Arrive In December

Nissan LEAF:  Nissan ended the year on a high as2,529 LEAFs were sold – the company’s best monthly result to date.  (full story here)

For the year, Nissan has sold 22,610 cars, which is a big improvement of 2012 when only 9,819 were sold.

Previously, in November 2,003 LEAFs were sold – which was only 1 more car than than in October.

Before December’s result, Nissan was the most consistent selling electric vehicle in the US, as November was the 9th month in a row around the 2,000 units sold mark.

That uncanny consistency however was built out of Nissan’s limited production abilities at their assembly facility in Smyrna, TN due to battery supply issues.  Something that started to go away in December.

According to the company, all that is now behind them (thankfully) and we will finally see what the demand is the LEAF starting in January as Nissan says the LEAF is now being pumped out around the clock with more batteries in hand.  Nissan decided last May to bump production from just under 2,000 units per month up to 2,700 – not exactly the quickest of ramp ups.

2013 model year inventory did increase to almost 3,500 units in December before the plant was idled over Christmas, but it will not be going any higher as the first dozen or so 2014 editions finally showed up just before the calendar flipped over.

2014 Cadillac ELR

Cadillac ELR: With very (very) few days during December to be able to see the ELR, GM did manage to sell 6 copies of the luxury Volt-based coupe. (full storyhere)

Truth be told, we didn’t expect to see the Cadillac ELR show up at dealerships until January of 2014, yet there it was being loaded up in front its Hamtramck Michigan Assembly plant on December 17th.  (That story and video can be found here)

How many of the 37 mile extended range Cadillac ELRs will be made, and how many will be sold in 2014? With a starting price tag of $75,995 (and from $89,500 in limited edition Sax Fifth Avenue trim) probably not a heck of a lot.

How many plug-in Caddys did GM manage to float on dealer lots by year’s end?  About 60.

Also of interest:  Cadillac has also made available a premium charging station for the ELR.

2013 Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S: Tesla does not give out exact monthly sales… so we never know for sure what the numbers are until their quarterly updates. Tesla’s Q3 financialsconfirmed the first 9 months sales at a level of about15,500 units, with just over 14,000 sold domestically.

As this is a list of US sales, we are now forced to shift away from tracking strictly production and deliveries for the company overall as they are delivering throughout Europe…so no one freak out when US sales don’t match total production from here on out.

While putting a number to ongoing demand in the US is not easy, we feel relatively confident it currently lies in the 700-1,100 unit range per month.

However, that is NOT the estimated sales range December as Tesla buyers are NOTHING like buyers of other EVs.  Simply put, the $7,500 is largely in play for Model S purchases (which are just that – purchases, not leases).  Also, as it is the end of the year, the amount of deliveries scheduled by Tesla in the US is way up, despite more than 1,000 international sales this month.  (Tesla sold 553 in Norway alone in the first 23 days of December)

We estimate 1,500 Model S sedans were sold in December.

(*) Model S sales estimates are given representative of North American sales, which include Canada.

2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: NO DATA TO REPORT YET

Previously in November only 4 Panamera S E-Hybrids were sold as dealer inventory was more than a little tight.

While still unconfirmed by the company, according to “sources” there was a few minor production hiccups that prevented the Panamera plug-in from getting to market in a big way.

However looking at inventories, whatever those issue may or may not have been seems to have been solved as about 50 more S E-Hybrids showed up by month’s end at Porsche dealerships.

Going forward, it is estimated that the plug-in may account for 10%-15% of all Panamera sales – which generally amounts to about 500 per month.

The Panamera S E-Hybrid has a combined 416 hp output (333 hp electric) and can get north of 60 mph in about 5 seconds, with a top speed of 167 mph. Pricing starts at $99,000.  Also of interest, the S E-Hybrid is currently available at all Porsche dealers nationwide – a rare thing these days.

(*- NEDC rating. EPA rating will be released in soon, we expect that number to be about 15 miles)

2014 Chevrolet Spark EV

Chevrolet SPARK EV: General Motors closed out the first year of Spark EV sales with 76 sold in December, good for 539 overall in 2013.

Previously, sales improved in November as 87 units were moved off California and Oregon lots – a 32%increase over October

In October, the little Chevy electric posted a result of 66Spark EVs sold during October, which was down some from September when 78 were sold.

However, no one should read anything into the monthly number… at least if they are trying to get a handle on Spark EV demand, as GM basically sets their own monthly sales number by curtailing inventory.  GM could sell a lot more if they wanted to.

In December, the amount of remaining Spark EVs on dealership lots was almost halved from November – down to just over 100.

In October, InsideEVs learned exclusively direct from Chevy that the company has “no plans” to make the car available outside of California and Oregon… so at least for now, we can call this car a compliance play – meaning GM will ship and sell the number it deems necessary until further notice.  As for international sales of the Spark EV, the exit of the Chevrolet brand in Europe means that plans to sell the all electric Chevy in 2014 have also been scrapped.

We figure that any 3-digit number probably satisfies GM’s internal projections for the car.

Fisker Karma

Fisker Karma: Last month we said “We are DELIGHTED to say this will be the LAST month the Fisker Karma is on the monthly sales list!” because of the company’s trip into bankruptcy.

…but we started the year with them on the list, so we will end with them on the list and “re-promise” to not mention them at all in 2014 on the sales charts.   It appears that about 6 new Fisker’s were registered as sold in the United States in December, leaving less than 30 “new” 2012 model year Karma’s still looking for owners.

2014 Fiat 500e

Fiat 500e: When it comes to reporting plug-in sales, we have another Tesla on our hands here (as in they don’t report sales).

Chrysler/Fiat, which has been notoriously anti-EV in the past, is giving us a bit of the stonewall treatment when it comes to reporting 500e sales.

Even still we did get a fairly accurate early read on the initial “early adopter” demand in during company’s first couple months of sales thanks to a fairly serious half shaft breakage issue and a “voluntary safety recall.”

Unfortunately, we now have to extrapolate sales estimates based on historical norms of  “average selling days” to inventory.  By the metric we estimate Fiat sold about 120 500e sedans in December.

As for the car itself, the 500e’s 24 kWh lithium battery has been rated by the EPA to produce 87 miles of all electric range, and MPGe efficiency in the city is pegged at 122, and 108 on the highway, for a combined 116 MPGe figure.

2013 Honda Fit EV

Honda Fit EV: As per the norm, Honda sold a production constrained 51 Fit EVs in December.

For November 23 Fit EVs were sold.  Previously in October, Honda managed to move 40 Fit EVs, which roughly matches the pace set in previous months.

So, the story continues to be: Inventory, where is the inventory?

As in…there is none – ok, actually there is about a dozen in stock nationwide, but for all intents and purposes, the number might as well be zero.

So why is the Fit EV America’s most in demand car? Well, Honda has found the holy grail when it comes to selling a limited number of compliance vehicles. Lease them out cheap ($259/month including partial insurance with nothing down)…and give customer unlimited mileage on those leases. (all the details here)

With a hot seller on their hands and Tesla ZEV credits in their back-pocket … and now more than half of the planned production now sold for the US on the Fit EV (1,100), we had doubted new inventory in depth would ever come from Honda – now we can confirm it, as Honda has made a statement on the situation.

“The Fit EV is available on a limited basis, with continued production of about 40 vehicles per month. Vehicles are allocated regionally and distributed based on demand from dealership-maintained wait lists.”

So if you get one…count yourself lucky.

2014 smart ED – As Always, Black Is The Proper Choice When Selecting The Color Of An Electric Car

SMART ForTwo Electric Drive: NO DATA TO REPORT YET

Previously in November, smart sold the 2nd most smart EDs ever as 153 were sold in November.

Previously in October the good times continued to roll for the small off-shoot of Daimler, as 111 smart Eds were sold, bring the year-to-date total up to 603.

In September 137 copies of the smart ED was also sold. In fact the last three month have well beat smart’s early expectations of selling about 60 per month until the vehicle was available nationally.

The USA-wide rollout has been hampered by some unforeseen worldwide demand that has lead to a 9 month backlog from parent Daimler in October. The company has said that battery cell availability issues are now under control know and they can indeed satisfy ongoing demand.

At the end of December there was about 250 EDs in the 9 states it is currently available (CA, CT, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NY, OR, RI), although it should be noted that if you want the ED in a Cabrio (convertible), you are currently out of luck, as apparently production out of France has been focused on just churning out whatever they can make the fastest – namely coupes. Less than 10 convertible smart Electric Drives are current in stock – the same as last month.

Although, sales of the smart ED have fluctuated fairly wildly in the last few months, the introduction of little EV nationally in “early” 2014 is sure to smooth out the curve in the low 3 digits.

The smart ED is the first plug-in for America to be offered with a “battery rental” option, which brings the cost of the Smart ED down to $19,990, but adds a $80 month battery rental payment, as well as includes a wider (and longer) battery warranty. Check out all the specs, options and pricing here.

The 2-seat Smart electric car gets 68 miles of range from a 17.6 kWh battery.

2014 Ford Fusion Energi

Ford Fusion Energi: NO DATA TO REPORT YET

As always, Ford does NOT report sales in step with all of their automotive peers today…instead look for their results on Monday, January 6th in the afternoon.

Previously in November, 870 were confirmed sold by Ford, which although not their ‘best month’ ever, was still an very impressive result.

October was the zenith of sales results as 1,087 were sold.

Passing the 4-digit mark in October was uncharted territory for the Fusion Energi as the car’s previous high was set just last month in September when 750 were sold.

As far as plug-ins go, this is a extremely high margin car for Ford, and they probably could not be happier with the results to date.

The Fusion Energi basically offers the same package as the C-Max Energi, but in a larger sedan package. The third plug-in to be offered from Ford has just been rated by the EPA at a combined 100 MPGe (92 MPGe highway, 108 MPGs city), and has an all-electric range of 21

2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In

Toyota Prius Plug-In: For December 919 Prius PHVs were sold when was impressive give the limited supply of late.

Even in November while almost completely exhausted of new inventory, Toyota still managed to sell 1,100 copies of the plug-in Prius. (full story here).

Previously in October the Prius PHV turned the plug-in world on its head as America’s best selling hybrid car also became the best selling plug-in for the month.

In total 2,095 units. Yes, that’s 2,095…no typo there were sold October. (full story here) Amazing what a $2,010 to $4,620 price cut in MSRP can do for sales!

Unfortunately what was great for October, is now bad news for December and January sales, as Toyota enters 2014 with only about 550 Prius PHVs left in America to sell.

2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Ford C-Max Energi: NO DATA TO REPORT YET

As always, Ford does NOT report sales in step with all of their automotive peers today…instead look for their results on Monday, January 6th in the afternoon.

In November, sales were off ever-so-slightly with the C-Max plug-in for November as 941 were sold.

Everything at Ford seemed to sell well previously in October (outside the Focus Electric), and the C-Max Energi turned in its own “best month of the year” result with 1,092 plug-ins sold.

The C-Max Energi first broke out of its sales rut in August as it set a new year high…a record that only lasted one month as Ford sold 758 in September.

The all-time record was set in the Energi’s first month on the market, as there was a sizeable demand backed up after the standard hybrid was released – that November (2012) 1,259 were sold.

But realistically speaking, to go much higher that current levels something needs to be about the MSRP. At $32,950as we feel it is just too close to the Chevrolet Volt, especially after GM lower the price of its 38 mile, extended range car by $5,000 in August…the only problem for Ford (and EV fanatics) is that the C-Max hybrid is selling so well that Ford is likely hesitant to close the gap between it and the plug-in Energi version.

Still, with 2014 pricing not yet announced thanks to an odd production schedule…we expect to see a change in the starting asking price soon.

2013 Ford Focus Electric

Ford Focus Electric: NO DATA TO REPORT YET

As always, Ford does NOT report sales in step with all of their automotive peers today…instead look for their results on Monday, January 6th in the afternoon.

Always as consistent performer, the Focus Electric sold130 units previously in November. 115 were sold in October.

The Focus EV is really the ‘oak tree’ of plug-in sales reporting, sure and steady; always ‘one hundred and something’ sales results…you could almost set your watch to it. Previously in September, 110 all-electric Fords were sold.

Taking November into account, 13 out of the last 14 months have seen triple digit sales starting with a “1″….although Ford does now seem determined to correct the trend of 100ish sold per month, as Ford slashed 2014 model year pricing by $4,000…down to $35,200.

On November 21st, the NHTSA issued an official recall of 2,456 Focus Electrics due to a dangerous “Stop Safely Now” issue, that could see the all-electric Ford lose power – even when in motion (that story here). As this has been a long recall in the making, hopefully putting this problem in the rear view mirror will help sales going forward.

Is a 200+ month in the cards? Oh the excitement of anticipation!

2014 Toyota RAV4 EV (+1 to kdawg for the file)

Toyota RAV4 EV: NO DATA TO REPORT YET  -  Given the oddities of the reporting schedule this month we don’t expect to have this number until Monday, January 6th.

Prior to December, the RAV4 EV cooled off a little in November as Toyota logged 62 copies sold.

Previous to November, 91 plug-in SUVs were sold, which was down from the recent upswing over the past 3 months for the compliance-built Toyota plug-in.

Overall however, Toyota has experience a resurgence the last 4 months in selling their CARB compliance SUV.

To bump sales Toyota has taken a page out of Honda’s playbook on their compliance vehicle and is now offering the RAV4 EV lease with something the mainstream players can’t – unlimited mileage leases.

In the short term, it seems to seriously be working – however, Toyota has had some serious ups and downs selling the electric SUV, so we are going to say that Toyota still its work cut out for them trying to sell 2,600 of these over the next year and a half

2012 Mitsubishi i

Mitsubishi i-MiEV: In December a not-so-inspiring 11 I-MiEVs were sold.

But thanks to an early year clearance of outgoing 2012 model year i-MiEVs that happened at Mitu sales will end 2013 up more than 100%

Previous to this month, 12 i-MiEVs were sold in November, after the company notched 28 and 20 units sold in the two months previous to that.

What is the problem? No inventory, as 2013 modelsnever arrived at dealerships this year; only old 2012 models remain.

What does it all mean? Absolutely nothing as Mitsubishi has just announced the return of the 2014 i-MiEV in the late spring from $22,995!

$22,995 also INCLUDES standard fast charging and a host of other standard features that used to be options. The MSRP price reduction equals $6,130 less than the outgoing 2012 model.

Want to know more about the new cheapest EV in America? Click here!   Our forecast for i-MiEV sales for 2014?  Next to nothing from January to April, then all they can build (which might be a problem according to Mitsu’s Chief) thereafter.

2014 (yes, 2014) Honda Accord Plug-In (via automedia)

Honda Accord Plug-In: In December, 38 more plug-in Accords were sold.

Previously in November 68 copies were sold, close to the all-time high that was set in October at 71 Accord plug-ins.  Still, to say Accord PHEV sales are flat in the US would be an understatement. For September, Honda sold 51 electric Accords.

Practically speaking, the Accord plug-in is the anti-Fit EV, as they just can’t sell these things.

Each month we ask ourselves the same questions: Does Honda even want to sell these? Why do they bring them to the US at all? (they sell very well in Japan) A $40,000 mid-size Honda sedan with 13 miles of electric range is just not something Americans want…and they know it, with little to no inventory available.

Simply put, this should have been an offering from Acura. Still, we have to report the results. So, with the Honda Fit EV now selling well (when they choose to stock them), the Accord plug-in looks to take over the crown of “most anemic” selling plug-in car in the US. Still the car did pick up the Green Car Journals car of the year award – so that’s something.

As for pricing, the Accord PHEV doesn’t come cheap, as Honda has put a very Fusion Energi-like sticker of $38,780on the car, which was markedly higher than consumer expectations for the car. We expect Honda to revisits incentive on the car in the near future.

The Accord plug-in has a 13 mile all-electric range, and has been given a MPGe valuation of 115 MPGe, the highest rating of any plug-in extended range vehicle.

UP NEXT

2015 BMW i3

The all-new, purpose built BMW i3 (all the details on that can be found here) will show up around April of 2014, while the Mercedes B-Class Electric Driveshould arrive in late summer.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – a 25(ish) mile extended range SUV that was originally expected in January, then the Spring, then Summer…has now beenpushed off until 2015 to allow for Japanese and Eurozone deliveries happening now.

We Caught A Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive Out For A Test Spin Over The Summer In The US

As for the Mercedes Benz B-Class Electric Drive, which apparently boasts a “US city” range of 115 miles. Thomas Weber, MD R&D boss says:

“In all the key criteria, this vehicle will be at least as competitive as our competitors’ models.” – and by our competitors’ models – he means the BMW i3. No pricing has been announced as yet, and rollout will happen in 2014, with the car going national in 2015.

BELOW: Chart of the year-to-date monthly sales by vehicle into December:

2013 Monthly Sales Chart For The Major Plug-In Automakers (click to enlarge) *Estimated Tesla North America numbers have been included in this graph. Tesla Total Sales Verified Through Sept 2013 (as per Q3 financials) *Fiat 500e estimated based on available data.