USA March 2018

(Tesla) Record Sales

Over 26.000 plug-in units were registered last month in the USA, a 42% increase YoY and a new sales record for Plug-ins, with March '18 registering 1.6% share. Will we see 2% in June?

The YTD count now at 55.000 units, a 32% growth over the same period last year, with the 2018 PEV share now at 1.3%.

After two "meh" months, Tesla came back to stardom in March, with the Model 3 posting its largest monthly production ramp up (+1.335 units), to 3.820 units, posting its third consecutive monthly Best Seller Award, while the Model S and X deliveries came back to regular levels last month, allowing them to climb to Third and Fourth places in the .2018 ranking.

And we are not witnessing a 100% Tesla podium, because the Second Placed Toyota Prius Prime continues to reach new sales levels, having delivered a record 2.922 units last month, being already responsible for 42% of all Prius sales. The way things are going, it won't be long until the PHEV version outsells the regular HEV, by then, Toyota should to consider if it's worth to keep the unplugged hybrid in the lineup...

Looking elsewhere, the new Nissan Leaf production ramp up (1.500 units in March) is allowing it to climb positions, having reached the Seventh position in March, still far from the podium ambitions that Nissan has for its hatchback, but expect it to climb positions month after month, with the #6 Chevrolet Volt being the "next in line".

In a record month, other players beyond Tesla and Toyota shined, like the BMW i3, which profited from the facelift to register 992 units last month, the nameplate best performance in 20 months, while the Honda Clarity PHEV reached the four-digit area (1.061 units) for the first time, confirming it as a volume model, worthy of a Top 10 presence. 

Looking at the manufacturers ranking, Tesla (33%, up 5%) is high above the competition, with Chevrolet (14%, down 1%) in the runner-up place, with Toyota (12%) not far from the GM brand, while BMW is just outside the podium, with 10%, up 1%.

Source: Inside EVs

Tesla Model S & Others

Pl	Model	2018 Sales
1	Mercedes E/CLS-Class	12.435
2	BMW 5-Series	10.038
3	Tesla Model S	5.300
4	Mercedes S-Class	4.565
5	Audi A6	2.764

Looking at the full-size vehicles, nothing really new here, the top two continue in their usual positions, with the Model S  profiting from a strong March to recover the Bronze Medalfrom the hands of the Mercedes S-Class.

If all is business as usual in Model S territory, the Model X on the other hand, continues to have a much harder time, being only Eighth its class, recording 4.500 deliveries in a fast growing segment, far from the first positions.

Norway March 2018

56% PEV Share!

March witnessed a perfect storm of positive events (Leaf deliveries in full swing, Tesla deliveries peak...), that helped for a historic performance of PEVs in Norway, not only the 2.172 registrations of the Nissan Leaf was the best selling monthly result on ANY model in this market, but the 37% BEV share (and 56% PEV) were the highest shares ever in any market, being the first time that Plug-ins outsold regular ICE vehicles, all thanks to a record 8.035 PEV registrations.

The rapid market electrification was visible in the fuels mix last month, BEVs were the best selling technology, with 37% share, with PHEVs responsible for 19% of the total market, with the two added equaling 56% share, while on the other hand, diesel-powered cars scored a low 16% share (It was 25% twelve months ago), not only below plug-ins, but also behind regular gas cars (20% share last month, 26% in March '17), with the remainder (8%) going to regular HEVs, which were also down YoY.

At this pace, Diesel will be dead in Norway by 2020...And the same for regular gasoline vehicles around 2022...

Looking at March Top Sellers, it was all about the new Nissan Leaf, scoring an all-time record of 2.172 units in one month, do not expect the Japanese hatchback to remain at such high levels for long, but 1.000 units/month should be achieved a few more times this year. 

The remaining podium places went for the Tesla siblings, benefitting from the usual last-month-of-quarter peak, with the Model X once again outselling its older brother (727 vs 676).

Pl	Model	Sales
1	Nissan Leaf	2.172
2	Tesla Model X	727
3	Tesla Model S	676
4	BMW i3	528
5	Mit. Outlander PHEV	438

Looking at the YTD ranking, the most important news were of course the Nissan Leaf jumping to the leadership (And one can imagine for a long time), switching places with the VW e-Golf, down two places to Third, while the Tesla nameplates surged 11 positions to #5 (Model X) and #6 (Model S).

Another model on the rise was the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, that thanks to 438 units delivered last month (Best result this year), it climbed to #7.

In the manufacturers ranking, last month leader BMW (14%, down 5%) was trailed by the new Top Dog Nissan (19%), while the Third Placed Volvo (13%, down 1%) managed to overcome Volkswagen (13%, down 5%), that in one month dropped from Second to Fourth.

Source: elbil.no; ofvas.no

Models breakdown by Fuel Source

Pl	Model	Sales
1	Nissan Leaf	2.172
2	Tesla Model X	727
3	Tesla Model S	676
4	BMW i3	528
5 6 7 8 9 10	Mit. Outlander PHEV VW e-Golf Volvo S/V90 PHEV Renault Zoe Volvo XC60 PHEV Toyota RAV4	438 433 394 347 314 295

With 56% PEV share, the PEV market is starting to look a lot like the mainstream market, breaking down sales by fuel source, we have six(!) BEVs, three PHEVs, one HEV (In Tenth) and no ICE model.

BEVs took all top four places, with the best selling PHEV (Outlander PHEV) being only Fifth, meaning that buyers are starting to favor again BEVs, while the best selling model without a Plug (Toyota RAV4) was only #10.

This says that Toyota hybrids are also feeling the sting of Plug-ins, with sales plunging to half of what they had in 2016. 

With regular ICE models wiped out (For good?) from the Top 10,  and the best selling HEV only #10, it won't be long for a full Plug-in Top 10. Maybe next June?

Spain March 2018

Zoe #1, but Leaf is rising

We start the March Madness monthly report with Spain, that despite the lack of incentives, it is as hot as ever, up 62% to 755 units in March, pulling the yearly tally to 2.194 units, with the PEV Share at 0.6%.

Looking at the best sellers, if the Renault Zoe was for the sixth month in a row Number One in March, with 150 deliveries, the new Nissan Leaf is starting to spread its wings, having delivered 91 units (#2 in March), the nameplate best performance in three years, having risen three positions in the 2018 ranking, to Third.

Expect the Nissan hatchback to continue improving, possibly reaching Second Place in April, time when it will be a race to recover ground on its French cousin, in a bid for the Spanish title.

Good month also for the Mini Countryman PHEV, scoring 45 registrations, its best result in 9 months, while three high end models made themselves noticed last month:

- After a slow start, the Tesla nameplates finally came into their usual selves, with the Model S scoring 30 units, jumping to #16 in the YTD chart, while the Model X delivered 32 units, the nameplate best result ever in Spanish soil, allowing it to climb also into the Top 20, in #17; 

- The Porsche Panamera PHEV also shined, thanks to 31 registrations, its best result since June, allowing it to jump four positions to #9, a brilliant result for the six-figure vehicle.

On the manufacturers ranking, Renault (16%, up 1%) is in the lead,  followed at a safe distance by Smart (11%, down 1%), while the Third Place is being hardly fought by Mitsubishi, BMW (Both with 10%) and Volkswagen (9%), but with Nissan (8%) coming strong from behind, expect the Japanese brand to surpass their adversaries and establish itself in Second Place soon.

Source: Foro coches electricos

China Buses 2017

With Chinese brands and market responsible for more than 95% of the global BEV Buses market, basically speaking of eBuses is synonymous with the Chinese market, and 2017 was no exception, below you will find the Best Selling eBuses brands last year.

Electric Buses Sales in China

Pl	Brand	2017
1	Yutong	24.857
2	BYD	12.777
3	Zhongtong	8.167
	Others	43.745
	TOTAL	89.546

Sales were down 23% to 90.000 units, mainly due to changes to electric bus subsidies, which lead to a market concentration, as both market leaders, Yutong and BYD, increased their sales, despite the significant overall sales drop. 

This concentration should be positive in the long run, as it will create larger-scale plug-in manufacturers (BYD), and promote the electrification of ICE-based lineups (Yutong), which will accelerate the transition in this vehicle category.

And let's be clear, with the largest non-Chinese eBus OEMs being Volvo and Proterra, both selling last year in the low hundreds, a swift global transition will only happen if Chinese manufacturers go global, as BYD is doing right now, the Shenzhen-based brand is already the largest eBus supplier outside China, with factories in operation or expected to become online soon in every Continent.