Sweden March 2018

Nissan Leaf Lands

A little later than usual, we now have the Sweden sales report, with the local plug-in market celebrating a new sales record, with 2,664 registrations, up 85% YoY, and the yearly tally now at 6,298 units (+63%), placing the PEV Share in record heights, at 7,2%.

Diesel sales continue to sink, down from 51% 12 months ago, to the current 41%. A steep 10% drop, which makes the prediction of symbolic diesel sales by 2025 starting to look somewhat conservative...

Looking at the March Best Sellers, the VW Passat GTE continues to rule without discussion, with the runner-up place going to the Volvo XC60 PHEV (307 units, new record), with the Plug-in version representing 15% of all sales of the Swedish SUV.

In Third, have the new Nissan Leaf, with 250 deliveries in its first full month on the market, a new record for the famous BEV, while in Fourth the Kia Niro PHEV continues to reach new heights, having delivered a record 213 units in March.  

Pl	Model	Sales
1	VW Passat GTE	419
2	Volvo XC60 PHEV	307
3	Nissan Leaf	250
4	Kia Niro PHEV	213
5	Mit. Outlander PHEV	178

Looking at the top positions, the local Volvo XC60 PHEV jumped four positions to Second Place, while the recent Nissan Leaf came out of nowhere into the BEV leadership, stepping up to #7. 

In a record month, there were plenty of models to record new personal best results, besides the aforementioned Volvo XC60 PHEV, Nissan Leaf and Kia Niro PHEV, Hyundai also had reasons to be happy, with its Ioniq Electric reaching for the first time the three digit area, with 114 deliveries. 

Below the Top 20, a mention to the Tesla Model X, that after a dismal start of the year, scored 52 deliveries in March, its best result in nine months.

Close race in the manufacturers ranking, with Volvo (21%) resisting the advances of the last year leader Volkswagen (20%), with the surprising Kia closing the podium, with 15% share (Down 1%).

Plug-Ins Versus Regular Hybrids

Pl	Model	March
1	Toyota Auris Hybrid	781
2	VW Passat GTE	419
3	Toyota Yaris Hybrid	342
4	Volvo XC60 PHEV	307
5	Nissan Leaf	250

Combining March sales of regular hybrids with plug-ins, Plug-ins are in majority this time, the VW Passat GTE was down to Second Place, but this time it had the company of the Volvo XC60 PHEV, in Fourth, and the new Nissan Leaf, in Fifth.

If BEVs (+29%) and especially PHEVs (+123%) are rising, HEV sales are down 5%, suffering from the PHEV fever, so in the short term expect them to be the minority in this Top 5.