USA October 2017

Chevy Bolt is ramping up

Nearly 15.000 plug-in units were registered last month in the USA, a 32% increase YoY, making October (1.1% share) the sixth month in a row of 1% plus PEV share, and pulling the YTD count to 157.000 units, a 30% growth over the same period last year, with the 2017 PEV share now at 1.1%.

In an off-peak Tesla monts, the big news were the Monthly Best Seller award of the Chevrolet Bolt, its second, after the one earned in July, with a record 2.781 deliveries, after a streak of seven months gaining momentum, the little Chevrolet hatchback is gearing up to end the year with some 4.000 registrations in December.

Here is a small review of the Top 5 best sellers in the US:

#1. Tesla Model S – After another deliveries rush in September, October was the usual off-peak month, with some 1.120 units being delivered, in line with other first month of the quarter performances, placing the 2017 count in 20.750 units, down 6% year-on-year. Blame it on the Tesla Model 3 anticipation, but with the new Tesla baby deep in Production Hell, expect the Model S to rebound in Q4, as customers transform their Model 3 reservations in a Model S order.

#2. Chevrolet Bolt – Slowly, but surely, the Chevrolet Bolt is starting to live up to its promises, having delivered a record 2.781 units in October, moving it to Second Place in the YTD ranking. As nationwide inventory widens and the year-end sales rush approaches, the Bolt is preparing itself for new heights, possibly reaching some 4.000 units in December.

#3. Chevrolet Volt – The older nameplate of the Chevrolet plug-in stable has seen its sales being affected by its all-electric sibling, having registered only 1.362 units in October, its worst performance in 20 months, with YTD sales now at 16.710 units, down 10% YoY. Despite this, expect sales to rebound in the next two months, benefitting from the end of fiscal year sales rush, maybe reaching some 3.000 registrations in December.

#4. Toyota Prius Prime – After a promising start in the first half of the year, sales have stalled a bit for the Toyota plug-in, having registered 1.626 units in October, its lowest point since June, which might indicate a less than expected career stellar career in the future. Still, in 2017, 16.682 Prius Prime were registered in the US, besting already Toyota’s PEV previous selling record (14.448 units, in 2014).

 

#5. Tesla Model X – What has been said regarding the Model S can also be said about the Model X, with numbers going down to just 850 deliveries, due to the off-peak month effect. With the 2017 registrations up 26% YoY, now at 16.140 units, it still has 4.000 units less than the Model S and is four places behind it. Tesla’s SUV is still an unfulfilled promise, unable to replicate in its class the success that its older sibling is having in the executive car segment.

Besides the Chevrolet Bolt jump to Silver, another important change occurred inside the Top 10, with the BMW i3 climbing to #9, thanks to 686 units, its best result since March, while another BMW also impressed in October, with the BMW 530e doing a year best of 583 units, at this pace, it won’t be surprising if somewhere in the future the plug-in 5-Series becomes the i-Performance best seller.

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, Tesla (23%) and Chevrolet (22%) are running almost neck-to-neck for the leadership, while in Third Place we (still) have Ford (11%) resisting to Toyota advances, but the margin is shortening every passing month, with the Japanese brand “stealing” 201 units to Ford’s lead, now with only 108 units separating them.

Will we see Toyota reaching the Podium in November?

Pl	USA	Oct.	YTD	%
1	Tesla Model S  e)	1120	20750	13
2	Chevrolet Bolt EV	2781	17083	11
3	Chevrolet Volt	1362	16710	11
4	Toyota Prius Prime	1626	16682	11
5	Tesla Model X  e)	850	16140	10
6	Nissan Leaf	213	10953	7
7	Ford Fusion Energi	741	8026	5
8	Ford C-Max Energi	569	7181	5
9	BMW  i3	686	5321	3
10	Fiat 500e	310	4995	3
11	Chrysler Pacifica PHEV	1175	3607	2
12	BMW X5 PHEV	323	3582	2
13	BMW 330e	292	3286	2
14	Volkswagen e-Golf	203	2902	2
15	Audi A3 e-Tron	17	2569	2
16	Hyundai Sonata PHEV	210	2205	1
17	BMW 530e	583	2181	1
18	Kia Soul EV	210	2205	1
19	Volvo XC90 PHEV	174	1624	1
20	Ford Focus Electric	115	1583	1
	Others	1212	9537
	TOTAL	14598	157039

e) Estimate

Tesla Model S & Others

Pl	Model	2017 Sales
1	Mercedes E/CLS-Class	41.192
2	BMW 5-Series	31.913
3	Tesla Model S	20.750
4	Audi A6	12.994
5	Mercedes S-Class	11.901

Looking at the full-size vehicles, nothing really new here, the top two continue in their usual positions, with the Model S on its way to collect another Bronze Medal, while below it, the Mercedes S-Class and Audi A6 are too far to bother the Californian.

If all is business as usual in Model S territory, the Model X on the other hand, is having a much harder time, failing once again to make an impression, being only Seventh in its class, recording 16.140 deliveries in a fast growing segment, far from the 43.858 units of the leader Mercedes GLE-Class.