Spain March 2019

Tesla Model 3 tsunami (Spanish edition)

The Spanish plug-in market hit 2.084 units in March, and the interesting thing is that both powertrain technologies have helped to this good result, as not only BEVs jumped 192% YoY, to 1.301 units, but PHEVs have also surged in March, having registered 1.721 units, up 157%, so plugin hybrids in Spain aren't yet hit by the doom and gloom that is hitting them elsewhere.  

Looking at market share, March reached 1.7%, with 1.1% belonging to BEVs, while the remaining 0.6% comes from PHEVs.

As for last month best sellers, the big news was the first full deliveries month of the Tesla Model 3, with 396 units, being a big contributor for the 62% BEV share within plugin sales. 

While it wasn't enough to beat the all-time record (554 units, in October '17, by the Renault Zoe), this Model 3 performance allowed it to jump to the leadership, surpassing the Nissan Leaf, that surprinsingly enough, had a record performance last month, with 278 registrations, an outstanding feat, considering the arrival of the 62 kWh version in a couple of months, and the possible damage that the Model 3 could have done to it.

If the Leaf is growing and has a shot at racing the Model 3 for the 2019 title, its Renault Zoe relative is on the opposite trend, down 63% to 56 units, and dropping in the 2019 ranking to #7. It seems the 2017 & '18 Best Seller won't be able to make a treble.

The BMW Group had a strong month, with the Mini Countryman PHEV scoring a record 178 units, pulling it to #4, while the BMW i3 delivered 118 registrations, the nameplate best result in 18 months, allowing it to climb to #6, and finally, the BMW 225xe A. Tourer delivered 166 units, a new year best, jumping to #8.

Other models climbing positions are the VW e-Golf, now #9, while the Volvo XC60 PHEV has broken its personal best, with 79 registrations, allowing it to climb to #11, and the Kia Niro PHEV is now #15.

Three recently landed long range BEVs are already showing up on the Top 20, with the promising Audi e-Tron in #17, followed by the Jaguar i-Pace, in #18, and the Kia Niro EV in #19.

If the Tesla Model 3 deliveries are jumping through the roof, the remaining lineup is sinking, with both model sales shrinking over 50% YoY. If the Model S drop (only 7 units last month) is easily explained by the cannibalization of its younger sibling Model 3, the Model X (11 deliveries) drop is not so simple to explain, as the Model 3 is not direcly impacting its sales, and the Model Y is still some time off. 

I believe the most immediate reason for the Model X sales slump is called Audi e-Tron, despite not being as good or efficient as the Californian, the fact is that it is an alternative, something that so far it didn't existed, until now, if you wanted a large EV, you only had Tesla to choose from, wether you liked or not, so the American maker had that segment of the market all to itself. Not anymore. 

On the manufacturers ranking, the race is pretty hot, with Tesla (14%) the new Number One, followed by Nissan (13%), while Hyundai (11%) is now a close Third, and the #4 BMW, with 10% share, is seeking to recover a podium place.