Global Top 10 April 2018

Upcoming BYD Qin: Niiice...

Models: Month 3 before TM3 Flood -  BAIC EC-Series Best Seller in April

Registrations jumped 93% in April, to some 128,000 units, at this pace, the current record (174,000 units, in December '17), is in danger to be broken next September, or even earlier, in June.

This positive start of the year is placing the 2018 numbers at 435,000 units (+68% YoY), with the global PEV share now standing at 1.4% share, a new record, which makes realistic the prospect of this year of hitting two million units (and over 2% share) this year. 

In April, the BAIC EC-Series was the Best Seller, with 7,471 units (+72%), followed by the Nissan Leaf, that was down 47% regarding the record month of March, but the 5,941 units represente a 97% jump over the same month last year. 

Third in April was the rising BYD e5, with  a record4.294 units, that thanks to a new version, with 400 kms range (NEDC), is jumping positions and could be a Top 10 presence in a couple of months.

Other models shining in April were the BYD Qin PHEV, scoring 4,138 units (Year best), the SAIC Baojun E100 (3,760 units, also year best), while the Tesla Model 3 hit 3,875 units last month, a small deliveries increase that allowed it to return to the Top 10, as it prepares to shatter all records in July and attack the leadership in that same month...  

As for the YTD ranking, the BAIC EC-Series came closer to the Nissan Leaf, with the Chinese model trying to recover the leadership, while the BYD Qin PHEV jumped to positions, to #6.

Comparing the current Top 10 passengers with their places in 2017, the new generation Leaf has pulled the nameplate to #1, the Prius PHEV continues in a solid Third Place, while the BYD Qin and Song PHEVs increased their performances significantly regarding 2017.

The Tesla Model 3 was still in launch mode, that is why it was only #106 last year (And yes, there are already 106 plug-in models, in total, 193 PEV models were on sale in 2017…)

Looking at the BEV / PHEV breakdown, pure electrics increased once again their lead (+1%) in April, now representing 61% of the total market, expect this score to be constantly improved throughout the year, maybe to levels above the 65% share of 2017. 

The one in the middle is said to flood the US charts in July...

Manufacturers:  Month 3 before TM3 Flood - BYD recovers #1

April signaled two significant changes, the most important being the return of BYD to the leadership, thanks to 13,209 deliveries (Year best), but it wasn't the only Chinese manufacturer to climb positions, BAIC was up to #4, crossing for the first time this year the 10,000 units, while Volkswagen is on fire, breaking its record for the second time in a row(!), with almost 9,000 deliveries, allowing it to come closer to the #5 Nissan, while Roewe also posted a new record result, with 6,943 units.

 

Outside this Top 10, the #11 Chevrolet missed a presence by just 60 units, while Chery is on the up, reaching #12, being just 1,000 units behind JAC, so expect an entertaining race for #10 in the following months. 

Comparing current positions with 2017, BYD is at it usual place, but this time Tesla is higher than last year (The Model 3 should have something to do with this…), with the American carmaker waiting for July (June?) to definitely jump to the drivers seat and sprint for the Best Seller award, something it has yet to win, ever since it landed, way back in the Cretaceous 2008...  

Volkswagen is significantly better than last year, up three positions, to #6, as it tries to beat its highest standing ever (#5, in 2015), while JAC is also up seven positions regarding 2017.

Looking at sales by brand origin, the Chinese are the unconstested leaders, with 42% of all deliveries, while Germany (20%) held steady in Second Place, and the USA (14%, down 1%) saved its podium seat from Japan (13%).