Denmark January 2020

VW e-Golf stuns in fast growing market (7% Share!)

Sales continue to grow fast in Denmark, with the 1.286 units registered last month meaning a 99% growth rate, placing the 2020 PEV share at 6.9% in the first month of the year, a stark departure from the 4,2% of last year, which was helped by a 12% drop in the overall market.

The VW e-Golf came out of nowhere to the leadership in 2020, with an amazing 180 registrations, when its previous best in Denmark had been just 17 units, back in December 2015...Could this unexpected result have been the result of a fleet deal? Can anyone confirm this?

The German hatchback was closely followed by another veteran model scoring a record result, with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV registering a record 172 units, while the #3 Kia Optima PHEV also performed a record score, with 107 units.

Just outside the Podium, we have another Kia model, the #4 Niro PHEV, with 96 units, while the Peugeot plugin hybrids landed with a bang, with the crossover 3008 PHEV landing in #5, with 83 units, while the midsizer 508 PHEV was #7, with 61 units. 

Between the two French models, we have the Nissan Leaf, in #7, with its 72 registrations representing the model's best performance in this market in the last 15 months, a rare beam of hope for the Japanese model in the present days.

In the Manufacturers ranking, Volkswagen (22%) is the Best Seller, closely followed by Kia (20%) in Second Place, and Mitsubishi (13%) in a distant Third Spot, while Peugeot (11%) is on the lookout to get a podium position soon.

Denmark December 2019

Tesla Model 3 #1 in Booming market

The 9.409 units registered last year in Denmark, represented a 105% jump regarding 2018, finally surpassing the 4.762 units of 2015, when local incentives for EVs were significantly reduced, followed by a long period of receiding sales.

But that now part of the past, this surge in sales lead to a 2019 PEV share of 4,2%, a new record, with December alone reaching 7,5%, which could give some indications on where the final 2020 plugin share will end...

But despite the brilliant month of December 2019, with 1.157 registrations, it wasn't still enough to beat the December '15 score of 1.553 units, when a certain Tesla Model S delivered 1.248 units in one month...

Speaking of Tesla, the big star of this year was the Tesla Model 3, that registered 2.439 units (587 in December alone, that made it the Best Selling model that month, all models counted), doubling the result of the runner-up (and 2018 Best Seller) Kia Niro PHEV, but despite this brilliant result, it still wasn't enough to beat the record of its Tesla Model S sibling in 2015, when it registered 2.736 units...Maybe the midsizer can get there in 2020?

Still, the Model 3 performance was decisive in the BEV recovery regarding PHEVs, with all-electrics jumping from just 32% in 2018, to the current 59%

With the Model 3 storming into the leadership and the previous leader Kia Niro being relegated to #2, who got the Bronze medal? 

Why, another Kia, or course! The Optima PHEV jumped from #6 in 2018, with 335 units, to a podium position in 2019, with double (779) the registrations, confirming its popularity in Scandinavian countries, where pluggable, big Station Wagons are a thing.

Looking at the remaining models ranking, a mention to the rise of the Hyundai Kona EV to 4th place, while the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV finally cracked this market, showing up in 2019 in #6. 

On the other hand, the Nissan Leaf dropped like a rock, from #2 in 2018, with 637 units, to #9 in 2019, with half (307) of the sales...And this in a context of hot BEV sales! The local Nissan importer has a lot of work in front of it...

Outside this Top 10, a mention to the record deliveries of the Audi e-Tron (i am writing a lot this phrase, am i not? Is Audi ramping up production? Mmmm…), with the German SUV registering 50 units last month, while the new VW Passat GTE registered 33 units in December, its second record performance in a row, which could mean that both these plugins will have a say in the shape up of the 2020 ranking.

In the Manufacturers ranking, Tesla (29%, +4%) benefited from its last month of the quarter peak to distance itself from Kia (22%, -3%), winning this year Best Seller award, with Hyundai ending in Third, with 14% share, well ahead of the 4th Renault, with just 6% share (that Captur PHEV is badly needed, if Renault wants to expand its sales).

A final note regarding 2020, the Model 3 and the Koreans will stay strong contenders here, with the first building up on the current success to try and reach 3.000 units this year, and the seconds possibly adding some 50% of deliveries on their current levels, so newcomers should have a hard time reaching podium positions, but i believe the new Renault Zoe could have enough pace to follow the Koreans, while other EVs, like the Peugeot 208 EV or the new VW e-Up! will find their way into the Top 10. 

Denmark November 2019

Model 3 and the Koreans

The Danish market continued on the fast track (+78% YoY) in November, with 8.241 units being registered this year so far, placing the 2019 PEV share at a record 3,9%, a significant jump regarding the 2018 score (2%).

The current leader, the Tesla Model 3, had a slow month, with only 59 deliveries, as the neighboring Netherlands are gobbling up every Model 3 it can find (i think i have written this before...), but with a 700 units advantage over the #2 Kia Niro PHEV, Tesla Denmark should be preparing by now the 2019 Best Seller party for its midsize model...

Below the Tesla Model 3, we have three(!) Korean models, but the November Best Seller was the Renault Zoe, with 124 registrations, its best performance in 26 months (Stock clearance of the old model? Volume deliveries of the new one? Both?), allowing it to climb to #5.

And in the unlikely event that Renault doesn't decide to starve other markets in December, to the profit of the Netherlands, the French hatchback could even aspire to take the 4th place of the Hyundai Kona EV, that is only 63 units ahead.

Another model on the rise is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, that after all these years, has finally cracked this market and is having its best year ever, right now it is #6, and could even try to reach higher spots, depending if Renault and Hyundai decide to starve this market in December. 

Outside the Top 10, a mention to the revised Hyundai Ioniq Electric, delivering a record 40 units, same as the VW Passat GTE, that registered a best ever 30 registrations (in both cases, the age old formula gets proved again: > battery  =  > sales), while the Tesla Model S had its best result since January 2016(!), with 27 deliveries (maybe there was an up-selling effort from the the Tesla sales team?), but the most surprising event were the 23 registrations of the VW Golf GTE (yes, the current Gen. VII, not the future Gen. VIII), maybe the local Volkswagen importer found some units of the PHEV model stored in some barn? 

In the Manufacturers ranking, the race is hot, with Tesla and Kia tied in the leadership, both with 25% share, while Hyundai, with 14%, is firm in the last place of the podium.

Denmark August 2019

Tesla Model 3 and the Koreans

Registrations were up 128%, to 5,484 units so far, placing the 2019 PEV share at 3,5%, a significant jump regarding the 2018 score (2%).

The current leader, the Tesla Model 3, was surpassed by the #2 Kia Niro PHEV in July, beating it with 98 vs 96 units, but despite this, the Tesla nameplate owns 24% of the market, with a sizeable lead over the #2 Kia Niro PHEV. I guess Tesla can order, with 5 months in advance, a Best Seller party here...

Below the Tesla Model 3 lead, we have three(!) Korean models, with 4 of the Top 6 models coming from the Hyundai-Kia ranks.

The only significant change last month was the Toyota Prius PHEV, that jumped two positions, to #8, thanks to 56 registrations, the model best result ever in this market. 

In the Manufacturers ranking, Kia recovered the leadership, with 27% share, switching spots with Tesla (26% share), while Hyundai, with 14%, is firm in the last place of the podium.

Denmark July 2019

Tesla Model 3 and the Koreans

After a memorable 2018, sales have become somewhat irregular this year, but with registrations up 82%, to 4,826 units so far, placing the 2019 PEV share at 3,5%, a significant jump regarding the 2018 score (2%).

This irregularity is connected to the current leader, the Tesla Model 3, that is known for its production constrained-related peaks, but despite this, the Tesla nameplate owns 26% of the market, with a sizeable lead over the #2 Kia Niro PHEV. I guess Tesla can order, with 5 months in advance, a Best Seller party here...

Below the Tesla Model 3 lead, we have three(!) Korean models, with 4 of the Top 6 models coming from the Hyundai-Kia ranks.

In the Manufacturers ranking, Tesla is the new king, with 28% share, while last year leader Kia is now in the runner-up spot, with 26%, while Hyundai, with 14%, is firm in the last place of the podium.

Tesla Model 3 & the ICE competition

Pl	Model	2019 sales
1	Mercedes C-Class	2.068
2	BMW 3-Series	1.568
3	Volvo S/V60	1.332
4	Tesla Model 3	1.237
5	Audi A4	834

One of the question marks around the Model 3 in Europe, regarded the impact that it was going to make on this side of the Atlantic, will it disrupt the PEV and ICE sedan market in the same way that it is doing in the US, or will it be more subdued, because it is playing away from home?

The answer is now being written, comparing the Model 3 with the competition, the Tesla is losing a bit of charge. dropping two positions, to #4.

Looking at the near future, the Tesla Model 3 should increase deliveries throughout the rest of 2019, now that the SR/SR+ versions are being delivered in large numbers, but the new PHEV version of the BMW 3-Series should prevent the German model from being surpassed by the Californian, so i guess Tesla should end the year in 3rd, ahead of the Volvo twins.

Denmark March 2019

Tesla Model 3 and the Koreans

After a memorable 2018, where PEV sales almost tripled, sales continue going through the roof this year, with 4,289 units so far, placing the 2019 PEV share at 3%, not only a significant jump regarding the 2018 score (2%), but also well above the absolute record (2.3%), set in 2015.

Regarding last year, BEVs recovered significant ground, now being responsible for 47% of plugin sales, much better than the 32% won last year. 

This recent uptick in BEV sales is thanks to the addition of three new models, with the Tesla Model 3 jumping to 2nd place in the 2019 ranking, while being the Best Seller in March, whil the Hyundai Kona EV is #4, with 208 units, and the just-landed Kia Niro EV is now #6, with 119 deliveries.

Despite the Tesla Model 3 thundering arrival, the Kia Niro PHEV is still the leader in the YTD ranking, underlining the an interesting feature of this market, as 5 out of the Top 6 models come from Korea.

In the Manufacturers ranking, last year leader Kia continues to be the Best Selling brand (22%), with Tesla and Hyundai, both with 9% share, filling the remaining podium places.

Tesla Model 3 & the ICE competition

Pl	Model	2019 sales
1	VW Passat	364
2	Tesla Model 3	306
3	Mercedes C-Class	270
4	BMW 3-Series	203
5	Volvo S/V60	200

One of the question marks around the Model 3 in Europe, regarded the impact that it was going to make on this side of the Atlantic, will it disrupt the PEV and ICE sedan market in the same way that it is doing in the US, or will it be more subdued, because it is playing away from home?

The answer is now being written, comparing the Model 3 with the competition, its 306 deliveries in March allowed it to beat every competitor in its category.

But looking at the total Q1 registrations, the Tesla Model 3 was 2nd, behind the VW Passat, in the future expect the Model 3 to jump ahead soon, although the new PHEV versions of the Volvo S/V60, VW Passat and BMW 3-Series could boost their sales and race the Californian for the leadership.