Europe December 2017

The two best sellers in December

Tesla shines in (near) record month

The European passenger plug-in market ended the 2017 season with a (near) record performance, growing 11% regarding the same period last year, by registering some 33.700 units, just a whisker below the all-time record of December 2015 (33.827) which, let’s not forget, was inflated by fiscal changes that happened in the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark in January ‘16.

Looking at the full year performance, sales were up 38%, to over 306,000 units, this growth is even more significant against the backdrop of a stagnating (-5%) automotive market in Europe, making plug-ins the fastest growing segment in the Old Continent.

Good news in the BEV/PHEV breakdown, the BEV share grew to 49%, with all-electric cars growing faster (+45% vs +32%) than PHEVs. Expect this trend to continue this year, with BEVs recovering the upper-hand over plug-in hybrids.

Looking at PEV share, December hit a record 3% share, pulling the full year share further up, ending 2017 at 2%. Looking into 2018, we should see the plug-in share end around 4% share, with the last months of the year even reaching some 6%...

In December, Tesla did its usual last-month-of-quarter peak performance, but this time the resurgent Renault Zoe resisted the Tesla tide and won the Best Seller title, thanks to 3,380 deliveries.

Interestingly, the biggest surprise in December hasn’t reached the December Top 5, ending the month in Sixth. The Smart Fortwo ED scored 1,707 units, by far the nameplate best performance ever, it seems the tiny two seater is experiencing an overwhelming demand, with the Smart EV already having a six-months waiting list, suffering from a recurrent problem: “Not enough batteries”.

Looking at the Monthly Models Ranking:

 

#1 Renault Zoe – December marked a return to form for the French hatchback, growing 18% YoY, to 3.380 units, its best performance since June. Let’s hope the Renault EV doesn’t suffer from further production hiccups, delivering enough units to satisfy demand from now on. As for market individual performances, besides the usual good result at home (1,652 units), there were also big numbers in countries like Germany (301 units), Norway (422 units) and Spain (168 deliveries).   

 

#2 Tesla Model S – Mostly thanks to Norway (1,026 units, best result in 32 months), the Californian was Second Placed in December, with boatloads of S’s arriving to Europe (at the expense of starving some Asian markets), with deliveries up 74% YoY, to 2.451 units. Aside from the Norwegian specific case, it appears the Model 3 reveal not only didn’t hurt sales, but actually helped it, as many buyers preferred not to wait and buy now the older model, instead of waiting for ages for the Model 3 to cross The Pond. Looking at individual countries, besides Norway’s undisputed contribution, the Netherlands (400 deliveries, best result in four(!) years) and Germany (213) were also heavy contributors, in a generally positive month throughout the Continent for the Sports Sedan. Looking ahead, expect deliveries to return to more regular levels, but the end of 2018 could imply falling sales, as buyers see the Model 3 arrival getting closer and closer...

#3 Tesla Model X – The Ugly Duckling of the Tesla stable had an opportunity to shine in December, growing 42% YoY to a record 2.156 units and ending the month in the podium. If the record sales Norway (1,429 deliveries) were the main driving force, other markets also impressed, with the Netherlands and the United Kingdom posting three digit numbers. The SUV/Minivan-that-thinks-is-a-sports-car is profiting from incoming improvements (eg, second and third row seats are now foldable…) and might start to leave the long shadow of the Model S older brother. 

 

#4 BMW i3 – The German Stormtrooper Hatchback was up 9% in December, to 1,979 units, a result explained by deliveries start of the facelifted version, that is still in early production phase. Still, it was enough to secure another Top 5 presence, and expect deliveries in 2018 to continue the growth path. Looking at individual countries, strong results in Norway, with 512 units (All BEV), and Germany, scoring 562 registrations, with Austria (124) and France (177) also helping along. Looking into 2018, expect deliveries to pick up in the coming months, as BMW returns to full production in its Leipzig plant and delivers as much i3 and i8 as the factory can deliver.

 

#5 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – After a close race with the Smart Fortwo ED(!), the Japanese SUV managed to secure the Fifth spot in December, but sales were down 23% YoY, to 1,837 registrations, but despite this setback, the Mitsubishi model continues to profit from its unique mix of space, AWD, range and affordability (40.000€), to make it popular in markets like the UK, Norway, Sweden, France or Germany. In the long run, it is not certain that the Japanese SUV can keep up with the general growing sales trend and stay among Europe’s top sellers.

Bad Boyz

  

2017 Ranking – Renault Zoe wins Best Selling Model award, BMW wins manufacturers

The year 2017 crowned the Renault Zoe as the Best-selling plug-in in Europe, for the second time in a row, thanks to 31,410 registrations, up 43% regarding 2016, with Silver going for the ever improving BMW i3, winning its first podium position, with 20,855 units, while the two times winner Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV ended the year in Third, its lowest standing ever since it landed, 400 years ago in 2013, having seen its sales drop 10% regarding 2016, and an astounding 39% regarding 2015. Are wrinkles showing on the Mitsubishi plug-in?...

Still, the Japanese SUV was the Best-selling plug-in hybrid for the fifth time in a row, and with no other PHEV selling at the same pace, expect it to remain the plug-in hybrid king throughout 2018.

Speaking of 2018, the Zoe and i3 are sure to run with the VW e-Golf and others (Smart Fortwo ED?) for podium positions, while the First Position is sure to go to…For the new Nissan Leaf. Hot on the heels of 10,000 orders in Europe alone, the facelifted version will not only be the strongest candidate for the Best Seller award, but will also expand EVs further into mainstream buyers.

But back at December, the last month of the year hasn’t brought many changes to the 2017 ranking, with the most important being the Smart Fortwo ED jumping enough seats to reach the Top 20, while the 2017 Rookie of the Year, the BMW 530e, climbed to #16.

In a strong sales month, some models hit record performances, besides the aforementioned Smart Fortwo ED smashing month, and the Model X new deliveries record, two recently arrived Volvos have impressed, beating their own records: The XC60 PHEV registered an amazing 1,213 units, earning the Ninth Place in December, while the S/V90 PHEV twins had 594 deliveries.

Another rising stars are bubbling up below the Top 20, like the Porsche Panamera PHEV(!), that despite struggling from a common disease (Not enough batteries…), still registered 717 units last month, or the Mini Countryman PHEV, that with 752 units in December, had (yet) another record month.

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, BMW (18, down 1%) won the class trophy, repeating the 2016 title, followed by Volkswagen (12%) in Second Place, with Renault (11%, down 1%) ending in the last place of the podium. Interestingly, the 2016 podium was exactly the same…

Outside the podium places, Tesla (9%) was Fourth, ahead of Mercedes, with 8% share, replacing Nissan and Mitsubishi in the 2017 ranking.

Pl	Europe	December	YTD	%
1	Renault Zoe	3380	31410	10
2	BMW i3	1979	20855	7
3	Mitsu. Outlander PHEV	1837	19189	6
4	Nissan Leaf	486	17454	6
5	Tesla Model S	2451	15553	5
6	VW Passat GTE	1291	13599	4
7	VW e-Golf	1369	12895	4
8	Tesla Model X	2156	12630	4
9	Mercedes GLC350e	975	11249	4
10	BMW 225xe Act. Tourer	919	10805	4
11	BMW 330e	1180	10117	3
12	VW Golf GTE	983	9267	3
13	Audi A3 e-Tron	616	8356	3
14	Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV	725	7847	3
15	Mercedes C350e	399	6861	2
16	BMW 530e	825	6143	2
17	Hyundai Ioniq Electric	669	6117	2
18	BMW X5 40e	553	5944	2
19	Kia Soul EV	558	5551	2
20	Smart Fortwo ED	1707	5191	2
	Others	8680	69110	22
	TOTAL	33738	306143	100