Global Top 20 August 2020

 

Models: Tesla Model Y and Wuling Mini EV shine in positive month

Registrations were up for the second time in a row last month, a first this year, with registrations going up 58%, to some 241.000 units, with plugin hybrids in particular jumping 92%, to 76.000 units, which is already having a positive impact on the YTD numbers, now back in black, if by just 1%, to 1.4 million, so we should see the plugin market end the year with positive numbers. 

On the other hand, the overall automotive market lost momentum, having dropped 10% YoY last month, leading to a August PEV share of 3.8% (2.5% BEV), pulling the 2020 plugin share to 3.1% (2.1% BEV), above the 2.5% of last year.

The future will depend much on the development of the pandemic and the seriousness of the economic crisis, but whatever happens, expect plugins to weather the storm better than the overall market, increasing its PEV share on the way.

With BEV growth trailing behind PHEVs (+46% vs +92%), the BEV/PHEV breakdown is slowly becoming more balanced, with the current standing now at 67% BEV, 33% PHEV. 

With a helping hand from the Chinese EV market, the leader Tesla Model 3 reigned supreme in August, but the rising star Wuling Mini EV scored 9.150 units last month, so in the future the small 4-seater might steal a couple of monthly wins from Tesla's sports sedan, speaking of the Californian maker, the Tesla Model Y won the monthly Bronze medal, thanks to a record 8.052 deliveries, allowing Tesla's new baby to jump five spots in the Top 20, to #6, and expect the Model Y to jump further positions, possibly reaching the podium next month.

Another model with strong results was the Hyundai Kona EV, that scored 5.692 deliveries, allowing the Korean crossover to remove the Nissan Leaf in the last place in the podium, while the #15 Ford Kuga / Escape PHEV was up 5 spots, and is on the way to the PHEV podium.

A mention also for the good performances of a number of Chinese EVs, besides the aforementioned record result of the Wuling Mini EV, that allowed it to join the Top 20 in #18, the #10 GAC Aion S scored a Year Best score of 4.071 units, while outside the Top 20, the #21 Great Wall Ora Black Cat (formerly known as Ora R1) had 3.748 units, its best score in over a year, and added to the #23 Chery eQ, that with 3.307 units, had its best score since June last year, it seems to confirm return of form from Chinese small EVs, and the Wuling Mini EV is the most extreme example of that.

On the PHEV side, the most impressive model is the new Mercedes A250e (3.510, new record), while the Li Xiang One also hit a personal best performance, with 2.711 units, and could join the table soon. 

Manufacturers: SAIC and Mercedes shine, but Tesla rules supreme

Tesla's score (43.887 units) was its best off-peak performance in the maker history, and is in a different league, but below it, there were also record performances, namely from Mercedes, that registered 12.227 units, its second record score in a row, making the three-pointed star brand the Best Selling European brand(!) in August, ahead of the BMW arch-rival, and even the almighty Volkswagen. 

This performance allowed the German brand to climb one position, to #10, and should climb higher in the next few months.

In a different scale, young little NIO, now in #20, continues to grow, having reached a record 3.971 deliveries last month, as it tries to keep up with the Big Boys.

In the first half of the table, BYD was up one spot, to #3, switching positions with BMW,  thanks to 14.053 units, the brand best score this year, which means the Shenzhen maker is back in form and willing to recover the runner-up spot.

Shanghai Auto, or should i say, SAIC + SGMW(1), is also on the rise, reaching the runner-up spot last month, with 18.000 deliveries, and is now looking to surpass BMW too.

Volvo climbed to #6 last month, with the Swedish maker continuing to climb in the table, now 10 spots above last year result.

The lower half has seen some action too, with Ford climbing to #16, while Porsche was up to #18.

Outside the Top 20, a reference to #22 Great Wall and #21 Chery, that registered 4.919 and 4.322 units respectively, their best score since June 2019, and both are some 3.000 units behind the #20 NIO.

(1) - SGMW: SAIC + GM + Wuling, a joint-venture between Wuling, General Motors and Shanghai Auto, with the last one owning 50,1% of the joint-venture, the American maker having a 44% share, while Wuling has 5,9% of the joint-venture.

Looking at OEM growth, if the PEV market grew 58% last month, some OEMs grew well above that average:

#1 - PSA (1.859% YoY in August);

#2 - Ford Group (538%);

#3 - Daimler (414%);

#4 - Volvo Group (303%);

#5 - VW Group (206%).

For further information, Hyundai-Kia was up 65% YoY, while Tesla grew 71%.

Of course, this simplistic approach is skewed to help smaller OEMs, because if you sold 2 units instead of 1, it means a 100% growth, hence the success of the Top 3 OEMs.

So the best approach is to look at total volume, and here, the OEMs that grew more regarding August 2019, volume wise, are:

#1 - VW Group (18.583);

#2 - Tesla (17.745);

#3 - Daimler (11.675).

If the first spot of the Volkswagen Group is surprising, if you think about the sales uptick that the German Conglomerate had in the past year, it is just the following of a trend started late last year. And the VW Group even has a shot at following Tesla in September, because if the Californian will benefit from a high tide next month, Volkswagen will benefit from the "ID.3" effect...

Because this is the second month of the quarter, one shouldn't read too much into Tesla's numbers, as the previous normal quarters (Q4 2019; Q1 2020) saw Tesla increasing the seasonality of sales, with lower than average numbers in the first two months, and then an end of quarter month with higher than usual deliveries, so i wouldn't be surprised if the same happened again this quarter. Will we see it have a record month in September?

The real surprise continues to be the Daimler Group (Mercedes + Smart + Denza), that thanks to another good month of the Smart brand, as well as the ramp up of the Mercedes PHEVs and the EQC, the German Group is becoming an unlikely success story, and with a bunch of new models set to increase production (CLA250e, B250e, GLA250e, EQV...), expect them to continue showing up here.

Europe August 2020

 

11% share! 

The European passenger plugin market is on fire, having registered over 97,000 registrations in August (+171% YoY), placing last month plugin share at 11% share (5.7% BEV), and pulling the 2020 PEV share to 8.4% (4.5% for BEVs alone), which is getting mighty close to the disruptive 10% mark....

..So expect next year to be #Disruption '21!

This sales push is benefiting BEVs (50,232 units, +112% YoY), but especially PHEVs, whose sales are jumping through the roof (+285%!), pulling the BEV/PHEV breakdown towards parity between both technologies, as plugin hybrids had 48% of registrations last month, versus 47% in the YTD tally.

With fresh units coming from Fremont, the Model 3 won last month Best Seller title, its first since last April, Tesla is preparing a high tide in September, that added to the VW ID.3 official landing and a predictable strong month from the Renault Zoe, we should have all three top sellers next month hitting 5-digit scores...

We have one new face in the Top 5, with the Mercedes A250e joining the Best Sellers list, being one of the most interesting PHEVs around, while the Kia Niro EV ended the month in #6, thanks to 3,381 deliveries, its second record performance in a row!. 

Looking at June Top 5 Models:

#1 Tesla Model 3 – The sports sedan returned to form, by having 7,020 deliveries last month, allowing it to have its first monthly win since last April, which is a promising sign for the (super-)September high tide, so a 17,000 units seems like a realistic target. Regarding August, the Model 3 main markets were Germany (2,824 units), the UK (950) and The Netherlands (609).

#2 Renault Zoe – The 6,183 deliveries are the result of the recent uptick in orders of the French hatchback, and despite being down in August on the consistent 10,000-ish performances of previous months (August is French holiday season), expect it to go back at in (Super-)September. Last month, the main market this time was Germany (2,210 units), followed by France (1,618 units), Italy (509) and the UK (350). For the coming months, expect the Zoe to continue on the top positions, running with the Tesla Model 3 and VW ID.3 for the leadership . 

#3 Ford Kuga PHEV - The Kuga PHEV (Euro-spec Ford Escape PHEV), is doing wonders for Ford, as the carmaker finally found a plugin success story in Europe, in August the compact crossover scored 5,055 registrations, earning its 4th Best Selling PHEV monthly title in a row, making it the new reference in the plugin hybrid field. The markets where the Dearborn plugin was in high rotation were Germany (1,588 units), Denmark (1,509 units, Best Selling model in the overall market!) and the UK (350). With the Kuga PHEV usable electric range and competitive pricing, the Ford model is now one of the best value for money plugin hybrids out there. 

#4 Hyundai Kona EV – Chronically limited by production constraints, Hyundai has finally opened the flood gates for its small crossover, thanks to the Czech plant production, scoring 4,054 deliveries in August and allowing another Top 5 standing. After the waiting list being finally emptied (by September?), we will finally start to see the real demand level of the small crossover (3,000/month?). Back to August, Germany was by far the best market for the Hyundai nameplate, with 1,397 deliveries, followed by France (420 units) and Norway (408). 

#5 Mercedes A250e – Thanks to competitive pricing (for a Premium brand), usable electric range (64 kms / 40 mi WLTP), and even CCS availability, the compact Mercedes has become the maker star player, with August registering a record 3,505 units, it's second record performance in a row, with the biggest market being its homeland Germany, with 1,939 registrations, followed by France, with 260 units, and the UK (253 units).

Ford Kuga: Best Selling PHEV

Looking at the 2020 ranking, there were two changes in the top places, with the Hyundai Kona EV jumping two spots, to #4, but the most significant change happened below it, with the Ford Kuga PHEV surpassing the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and becoming the new Best Selling plugin hybrid in Europe, if the compact SUV manages to keep the leadership until the end of the year, it will be an historic moment, as it will be the first time since 2012 that the Outlander isn't the Best Selling PHEV in Europe! 

With these changes, the Top 5 is now 100% BEV, and with models from different classes, from the small Renault Zoe, to the compact VW e-Golf, the midsize Tesla Model 3 and the luxury Audi e-Tron, with the Hyundai Kona EV thrown in, for those that want something different. It's like these models are the BEV template for each of these categories (well, the e-Golf is on its last legs, but with its ID.3 successor now spreading across Europe, Volkswagen will continue to have the template for the compact EV in Europe for years to come).

Speaking of VW's new baby, in (Super-)September, the VW ID.3 is landing with a bang, with 20,000-plus 1st Edition deliveries, that added to some 11,000 Zoe's and 17,000 Model 3's, it should provide at least 48,000 registrations for September in just 3 models! Add a minimum of 80,000 units from the remaining market, and we should have some 130,000 units being delivered in one month, and some 12-13% market share! 

Back to August, the second half of the table had a few position changes, with the Volvo XC40 PHEV jumping two spots, to #13, while the small VW e-Up climbed to #16 and the Mercedes A250e joined the ranking, in #18, thanks to a record 3,505 units.

But the A250e wasn't the only Mercedes to shine, as the GLC300e scored a record 1,749 performance last month, while the E300e/de (1,254 units in August) and the C300e/de (1,441), jumped to #21 and #22, respectively, so we could have thee Mercedes in the table soon, and as if that wasn't enough, there were two other models from the Daimler stable to reach four-digit scores last month, with the Mercedes EQC registering 1,292 units, while the tiny Smart Fortwo EV scored 1,325 deliveries, thus making 6 models from the OEM with 1,000-plus scores!

And Mercedes is now starting to ramp up production of other models, as the CLA250e (565 units), B250e (315) have started to see their numbers rise and should hit significant volumes soon, while the GLA250e (60) and EQV (26) are waiting in line for their turn...The three pointed-star maker started late, but is electrifying its (long) lineup at breakneck speed...After all, Daimler is one of the worst CO2-emitting OEMs in Europe and the fines are heavy, so might as well go for plugins and comply with the rules, right?

Not to be outdone by its Stuttgart rival, BMW also pulled a few rabbits from the hat, and while it's not the model onslaught of Mercedes, the production ramp up of the Mini Cooper EV (1,709 units last month) and BMW X1 PHEV (1,545), added to the good result of the BMW X5 PHEV (1,334 units, its best score since January), have helped to counter balance the so-so results of the BMW i3 and 330e.

Still outside the Top 20, the PSA Group is also ramping up deliveries, with the small Opel Corsa EV hitting a record 1,487 deliveries, while the Peugeot 2008 EV crossover registered 1,331 units in August, with the French maker expecting this last model to be its Third Musketeer in the Top 20. 

In the brands ranking, we have the most balanced race in the history of this ranking, with 5 brands separated by 1%, with 9% share we have Volkswagen, BMW and Renault, while with 8%, we have Volvo and Tesla...And don't forget the rising (7%, up 1%) Mercedes, in 6th!

BEV D-Segment / Midsize category

Tesla's midsize sedan sales are in another galaxy, and has even seen its sales increase 29% YoY last month, so it won't have significant competition in the near future, as the recently arrived Polestar 2 (1,144 units last month) is present in a limited number of markets and will remain a niche player this year, with expansion plans only set to be enabled in 2021. Same story for the BMW iX3, with the first deliveries set for the summer of next year, do not expect volume numbers from it for a long, long time.

The real competition will only come when the Tesla Model Y lands, not only it will drain the Model 3 sales, but it should also outsell it.

As for the remaining podium, the Mercedes EQC has finally surpassed the Jaguar i-Pace, becoming the new runner-up, while the British sports SUV has seen its sales decline in August by 19% YoY, to just 588 units, which soon could place it under the firing range of the new Polestar 2, as the Sino-Swede is said to have its own Super-September edition (Around 1,500 deliveries) happening.

BEV E-Segment / Full size category

The e-Tron domination is unquestionable and continues to grow, with the Big Audi scoring  3,047 units last month, representing a 141% sales increase YoY, and with Tesla basically giving up on the Model S & X, not only the #2 Porsche Taycan (1,183 units last month) will continue to extend its lead, but both Teslas will become easy prey for anyone (Audi e-Tron GT, Mercedes EQS, BMW iNext...) that lands on this still rarefied market.

Just to have an idea, last month the Tesla Model S was the best selling of the flagship Teslas, by registering 109 units, down 82% YoY...

New Zealand August 2020

 

Tesla Model 3 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV run for the leadership

New Zealand's plugin market has recovered from the pandemic disruption, translated in a plugin share of 2.7% (1.8% BEV) in August, pulling the yearly plugin share to 2.6% share (1.6% BEV), reaching the 2019 levels.

Will it be able to reach 3% by year end? As the most dynamic EV market in the Southern Hemisphere, i wouldn't rule out that possibility. 

Looking at the models ranking, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Tesla Model 3 are running for #1, with only 5 units difference, and because the Californian is expected to have a fresh supply units in September, expect the sports sedan to jump into #1 next month. 

Elsewhere, the Hyundai Kona EV remains comfortably in the last place in the podium, followed by the #4 Nissan Leaf, that had 28 registrations last month, its best score in the last 12 months.

Also interesting is the VW e-Golf surpassing the Jaguar i-Pace in #6, but expect Jag's Sports-SUV, to return soon to #6, as the German EV is on its last months on the market.

The Tesla Model X and Audi e-Tron have surpassed the Porsche Cayenne PHEV and are running for the Luxury title, while just outside the table, in #11, we have the rising Mini Cooper EV, that scored 14 deliveries last month and is now only 2 units behind the big Audi, so expect the hot hatch to join the table soon, thus making 3 British models in this Top 10.

In the Manufacturers ranking, Tesla is on top, with 25% share, followed by Mitsubishi (21%), while Hyundai (15%) closes the podium.

Behind the medal positions, Nissan is 4th, with 8% share, followed by Mini, with 6%.

Ireland August 2020

  

11% Share! 

The Irish plugin market is in good health, last month plugin sales reached 522 units, doubling last year result, with the monthly share reaching 11% (6% BEV), pulling the 2020 PEV share to 6.5% (3.8% BEV), well above the 4% score of 2019, although much of this growth has been at the expense of plugin hybrids, that have been growing twice as fast as pure electrics, with PHEVs now having 42% of the plugin market.

The 2020 Best Seller title has the Nissan Leaf resisting the pace of the Tesla Model 3, while in the last place of the podium, the Kia Niro PHEV has surpassed its Hyundai Kona EV cousin, thanks to 60 registrations.

Another Kia on the rise is the Soul EV, that joined the table in #8, now making 3 Kia's in the Top 10...Not bad, eh?

Regarding the last report, back in April, the main differences regard the thundering arrival of the Ford Kuga PHEV, replicating a phenomenon that has been happening across Europe, while the Renault Zoe jumped 6 spots regarding April, a significant improvement that rewards Renault's efforts to actively sell its EV in Europe.

Outside this Top 10, a reference for yet another Kia, with the Ceed PHEV scoring 30 deliveries last month, so we could see soon a 4th Kia model in the table, while the Peugeot 208 EV registered 15 units, benefiting from PSA's production ramp up.

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, Kia leads, with 20% share, followed by BMW, that due to an extended lineup, has 14% share, and Hyundai (13%) closes the podium, while outside the medal positions, we have Nissan (11%) and Tesla (10%).

Austria August 2020

 

Record month in Austria

The Austrian plug-in sales are up 45% this year, to over 11.000 new plugins, placing the PEV Share in record heights (7.4% this year, ), with last month setting a new all-time record, with August having over 2.000 registrations, allowing the market share to hit 9.9% (5.4% for BEVs alone). 

Interestingly, this market was known to be a BEV-friendly market, with all-electric cars usually representing over 70% of plugin sales, but this year plugin hybrids are growing faster (+241%!), compensating a slow BEV performance (+8% YoY), which is allowing plugin hybrids to increase their share in the total plugin sales, as they now have 37% of this year sales, with August reaching almost parity (46% PHEV vs 54% BEV). 

Looking at the models table, the Tesla Model 3 was the Best Seller in August, allowing it to increase its lead over the #2 Renault Zoe in the 2020 count, to 107 units, and with the expected high tide by the Tesla nameplate in September (300 units?), the sports sedan should increase further its lead over the French EV, an important moment in its bid to renew the Best Seller status this year.

The Kia Niro EV is the current Bronze medalist, but it will have to keep an eye on the rising Hyundai Kona EV, that jumped in August to #5, thanks to 148 registrations, its best score this year, and with orders still to be fulfilled by Hyundai's Czech plant, expect the Korean crossover to continue climbing. 

As for the Luxury title, the race looks interesting, with the #4 BMW X5 PHEV leading by just 8 units over the #6 Audi e-Tron, while the #9 Porsche Cayenne PHEV (45 units behind) and #7 BMW 530e (32 units behind) also have the big Beemer within shooting range.

A final reference to the #10 Volvo XC60 PHEV, that joined the table displacing the VW e-Golf,  now preparing itself to set off to greener pastures.

Outside the Top 10, a reference to the deliveries ramp up of PSA's BEVs, with Opel delivering 75 units of its Corsa EV and Peugeot, 49 of the 208 EV and the first 32 units of the 2008 EV.

Speaking of landing months, and confirming the current compact crossover/SUV craze, besides the Peugeot crossover, we had three other new representatives of the category landing in August: the Renault Captur PHEV (25 units), and the Jeep's Renegade PHEV (25) and Compass (20).

In the manufacturers ranking, the race is pretty close, BMW (15%) is ahead, thanks to its extended plugin lineup, followed by Tesla (14%), with Renault (11%) closing the podium.

China August 2020

 

Wuling Mini EV shines in growing market

 

The overall Chinese market remained in positive numbers last month (+6% YoY), with plugins faring much better, growing 30% YoY last month, to 100,000 units, a new year best, with BEVs growing slightly faster (+31%), than plugin hybrids (+27%), allowing pure electrics to have 81% of plugin sales last month, slightly above of this year average of 79%.

August was the best selling month this year, and it shows, as last month plugin share reached 5.7% (4.6% BEV), pulling the 2020 share to 5% (3.9% BEV), which is still below from the 5.5% of 2019, but it is a step in the right direction and hopefully it will reach last year's score towards the end of the year.

Looking at August Best Sellers, we have 2 midsize sedans ( #1 Tesla Model 3, #3 GAC Aion S) and 3 City EVs, confirming the return of small EVs to the spotlight.

Here’s August Top 5 Best Selling models individual performance:

#1 – Tesla Model 3

The poster child for electric mobility hit 11,811 units last month, and while it’s not its all time best, Tesla’s midsizer continues firmly above the 10,000 mark. And the Model 3 is starting to get in the way of the category Best Sellers in the overall market, as the Californian was not that far-off from the BMW 3-Series (16,919 units), Mercedes C-Class (14,249) and Audi A4 (13,053), so the Tesla sports sedan still has some room to grow. Will we see it reach some 15,000 units/month cruise speed this year? Another question is, will Tesla deliver a surprise performance in September? Mmmm...Discuss.

 

#2 – Wuling HongGuang Mini EV

A big name for such a small car, the Wuling EV, let’s call it that way, scored 9,150 units last month, thanks to a steep production ramp up, so expect the tiny four-seater to hit five-digit performances soon. Why the reason for this overnight success? Well, from the start, it is one of the cheapest EVs on the market ($4,200!!!), and yet, it’s not all that bad, as the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint-venture model can seat 4 people (or 3 people and a bit of cargo, or 2 with a fair amount of cargo – 741 liters), in car that is a tad larger (2,917 mm / 114.8 in) than a Smart Fortwo EV, sure, range is not brilliant (smaller battery version has 9.2 kWh battery, top spec version has a 13.8 kWh battery), just like the motor (27hp), but it has only 665 kg curb weight to carry around and is highway capable, so in order to have the 4,200 USD price, without subsidies, one can’t expect miracles... At this price level, the Wuling EV is in position to be a disruptive force in urban mobility, not only against 4-wheeled private transportation, but also against 2 and 3-wheelers. This EV could be a game changer for many, and not only in China...

 

#3 – GAC Aion S

GAC’s sleek sedan was 3rd in August, having registered 4,071 units (excluding the 665 Toyota-badged iA5 units), a new year best, so it seems the Aion S has found a way to live with its crossover sibling, the new Aion V (2,086 units last month). One of the most competitive domestic electric sedans on the market, the Aion S should continue to be a regular in this Top 5, being a strong candidate to the 2020 medals positions.

 

#4 – Great Wall ORA Black Cat (R1)

A few decades ago, Hollywood had a Rat Pack, and maybe inspired by that one, Great Wall decided to create its own Cat Pack, transforming its tiny R1 Smart-lookalike into the Black Cat, launching the R2 model (think Scion XB/Toyota Urban Cruiser kind of vehicle) as the White Cat, that delivered 1,035 units last month, and to lead the Pack, Great Wall is now preparing the launch of the Good Cat, a chunky (and funky) compact hatchback (VW Golf sized) that kinda looks like a Porsche 356 in the front, a Toyota from the side, and the back...Well, it’s its own thing. But enough of the Good Cat, we are here to talk about the Black Cat, that delivered 3,748 units in August, the City EV best score since the new subsidy rules were enacted, more than a year ago. Does this mean the new name will allow a second youth to the Ora model? To be answered in the next few months...

 

#5 – SAIC Baojun E-Series 

Baojun works as the more hip and upmarket version of the Wuling EV, and thanks to their E-Series (E100/200/300) lineup of City EVs, the SGMW (SAIC-GM-Wuling joint-venture) offspring has seen its demand stay high during the last months, winning a 5th spot in August, thanks to 3,312 units last month. The access to the current subsidy, added to competitive pricing (CNY 93,900 / USD 14,700) before subsidies, makes it an appealing model for young urban drivers, as well as car-sharing companies and other kind of fleets. 

 

 

Looking at the 2020 ranking, if the Model 3 is the undisputed leader, below it, everything is up for discussion, with the #3 GAC Aion S shortening the distance, to less than 1,000 units, to the 2nd placed BYD Qin Pro EV, but both should be surpassed in a couple of months by a rising star...

...The Wuling EV, that after joining the table in July, in #13, last month the Wuling model jumped 7 spots, to #6, and should reach the 4th place in September, only to surpass the aforementioned two by October. 

This move highlights the latest trend, City EVs are returning to the spotlight, not only with the Wuling EV, but also with the newly called Great Wall Ora Black Cat, that climbed to #8, and the #9 Chery eQ, that delivered 3,307 units, its best score in over a year.   

But it weren’t only with the City EVs shining, as the MG ZS EV was also up, to #15, while BYD saw two of their models climb, with the Tang PHEV climbing two positions, to #17, thanks to a Year Best performance of 1,525 deliveries, while the Song Pro EV was up to #19, and despite staying in the same spot, the BYD e2 had a Year Best score of 1,557 units.

Highlighting BYD’s positive month, the Han siblings saw the benefits of the production ramp up, with the EV version scoring 2,700 units, while the PHEV registered their first 1,300 units, if we to count both together, the full size BYD would feature on our monthly Top 5.

A final mention to two startup EVs, with the #11 Li Xiang One full size SUV scoring a record 2,711 units, while the Weltmeister EX5 had its best performance this year, with 2,042 units. 

Below the Top 20, a reference to the ramp-up mode Xpeng P7 (1,996 units in August), the 1,035 units of the Great Wall Ora R2 White Cat, the 2,086 units of the crossover GAC Aion V, or the 1,722 deliveries of the Changan Eado EV, its best score this year.

NIO’s barge flagship SUV, the ES8, scored 1,125 units last month, its best score in 16 months, mostly thanks to the new 100 kWh version, which constrasts with last month paltry result of the Tesla Model X (112 deliveries).

“Yeah, but August is not a peak month for Tesla...” – True, but Tesla’s flagship SUV top score this year in China was 650 units, last March, which pales next to the Li Xiang One regular scores, and the NIO ES8 4,506 deliveries this year are two times the score of the Model X...

Currently, the Model S & X are weak points for Tesla in China, as they are being trailed by several opponents, be it startups (NIO, Li Xiang), local OEMs (BYD), or foreign ones (BMW), which is a stark contrast with the current Model 3 domination of the midsize category...

#MakeModelS&XinChina; #RefreshModelS&XonBatteryDay.

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, BYD (15%) is still in the leadership, but the #2 Tesla (13%), and especially the rising #3 SAIC (13%, up 1%) are looking to catch it soon.

SAIC is 3rd, although i should say, it’s more SAIC+SGMW, because if we remove the joint-venture small EV models from the SAIC tally, the Shanghai maker would have only 6% share. Technicalities, technicalities....

Below the podium, Volkswagen (6%) is holding on to #4 by just 2 units(!), with GAC (also 6%) looking forward to surpass the German maker in September, while NIO (4%) has surpassed BMW and is now #6, and with the #5 BAIC less than 300 units away, it is waiting for a chance to climb higher (In September?). 

France August 2020

Koreans shine in Slow Selling Month

With the overall automotive market back in the Dog House (-20% in August), plugin sales continue immune to the surrounding doom and gloom, with PHEVs (up 269%, to 5,266 units) faring better than BEVs, up only 167%, to 5,590 registrations, allowing plugin hybrids to have 49% of the plugin market last month, above this year average (35%), and quite possibly the highest share ever by plugin hybrids, in this traditionally BEV-friendly market. 

Nevertheless, looking at this year French market fuels split, there are are already some disruptive market share changes, with petrol down 9% in share regarding the same period last year, to 50%, diesel is also down, albeit a more moderate 3%, to 31%, to the profit of all electrified categories, starting with HEVs, up 4%, from the 5% of last year, to the current 9%, passing by PHEVs that now have 3.3% of the market (reaching 5.1% last month), and ending with the 6% of BEVs (5.4% in August), allowing the 2020 PEV share to be at a record 9.3% (10.5% last month), which is a whole different level from the 2.8% of 2019. 

Expect the numbers to improve slightly in the remainder of the year, with the 2020 tally possibly even reaching 10%, which would not only be a great achievement, but also the prelude for the #Disruption '21 - French Edition

Looking at last month Best Sellers, the top 2 were the usual local heroes, but below them, we have last month Best Selling Foreigner, the Kia Niro EV, that despite August being the slowest selling month in France, managed to score a record month(!), with 620 deliveries, allowing the Korean crossover to reach its first first monthly medal in France. 

The remaining positions went for the Peugeot 3008 PHEV, #4 with 583 registrations, while the 5th position went for the Hyundai Kona EV, that thanks to the increased availability coming from the Czech production, allowed Hyundai-Kia to place two models in the French Top 5.

Pl	Model	Sales
1	Renault Zoe	1,618
2	Peugeot 208 EV	697
3	Kia Niro EV	620
4	Peugeot 3008 PHEV	583
5	Hyundai Kona EV	520

Looking at the 2020 ranking, while the top 2 remain unattainable, the last position in the podium can still change hands, while the 3rd placed Peugeot 3008 PHEV has finally distanced itself, in the PHEV category, from its DS 7 PHEV arch-rival, the #4 Tesla Model 3 can still steal the Bronze medal from the French crossover, with 369 units separating both models, and the Californian expecting to have a high tide next month, we could see it overcome the difference and surpass the high-riding Pug. 

Outside the podium, a mention for the Koreans Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Niro EV, as the Hyundai model is now just 6 units beind the #5 DS 7 PHEV, so it should surpass the French SUV next month, while the Kia also has a shot at surpassing the DS plugin hybrid in September, especially if it continues to score record performances

On the second half of the table we have the only position changes of the month, with the Mercedes GLC300e climbing to #12, switching positions with the now retired Citroen C-Zero dinosaur, while the rising star Volvo XC40 PHEV climbed another position, now staying at #14.

A surprise appearance on the table is the VW Golf GTE, that joined the table at #20, displacing the BMW i3. This is still the Golf VII body, not the new Golf VIII, which means this end-of-career peak could only be possible by fire-sale prices, something we knew Volkswagen had been doing in the past few months with the e-Golf BEV, but apparently that was also the case with Golf GTE, at least in France. 

But this should be a temporary presence, in fact, there are two other models less than 100 units behind the VW hatchback, as the #21 BMW i3 is just 17 units behind, while its British cousin, the Mini Cooper EV, is #22, with 1,025 units, and the Mini hot hatch is on the rise, having scored a record 244 units performance in August.  

Speaking of future new entries to the Top 20, we should mention the #23 Opel Corsa EV, that scored 157 registrations in August, and the #24 Mercedes A250e, that is less than 200 units from the Top 20 and had 260 deliveries last month, highlighting Mercedes good moment, not only the GLC300e is on the rise, but the A250e has also good perspectives to reach the Top 20 soon, not mentioning the strong landings in August of the CLA250e (118 deliveries) and the B250e (81). Amazingly, Mercedes is currently the Best Selling German brand in the French plugin market...

Speaking of which...In the brands ranking, the leader is, as always, Renault (25%), with Peugeot (21%) firm in the 2nd spot, while a sliding DS (5%, down 1%) is in the 3rd spot, just ahead of Tesla (also 5%).