USA Plug-in Vehicle Sales for Q4-2015 and the Full Year
Fourth quarter Plug-in sales were 5 % higher than in 2014, but it was not enough to offset the weak sales development from May through September. The year ended with minus 4 % compared to 2014, with 115 403 PEV units sold, EV, PHEV and EREV combined. Market share took even a deeper dive, 0,66 % compared to 0,73 % a year ago. Meanwhile, the total light vehicle market reached a new all-time-high of 17,4 million units.
Plug-in sales have picked up in Q4, thanks to the long awaited delivery of new, important models. December was the best month ever for Plug-in vehicles in the US, with a total of 13 650 units registered. Read about the detailed results further down in this article.
US Plug-in Vehicle Sales Projection 2016
For 2016 we expect volumes and shares to return back to trend. 2015 was a bummer due to product availability, which caused intenders to delay their purchases.
2016 will get the full year volume for Tesla Model X (MY16 is sold out) and the new Chevy Volt. Nissan Leaf has improved range and a larger battery option. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is finally coming to the States as a MY 2017 intro and, judged by its success in Europe and Japan, will attract many SUV buyers. The most important launch in 2016 will most probably be the Chevrolet Bolt.
Assuming that incentives stay as they are, our best estimate is a sales volume of 170 000 units for 2016 and a market share of 1 %. This 55 000 unit increase (+48 %) over 2015 seems a lot, but it's in line with the global growth during 2015, where China is the biggest contributor. Check our article Q3 global summary for the for details.
Chevy Bolt - The Breakthrough ?
The side view it looks a bit like a tribute to the BMW i3, but underneath it seems to set some standards, for others to follow. "Est'd more than 200 miles of range, 30k price ($37 500 before the federal tax credit), available late '16" are Chevy's claims on their website.
Performance is sufficient from a 150 kW electric engine, 0-60 is done under 7 seconds. Connectivity is complete and adaptable. Battery size was not disclosed at CES but on NAIAS: it's a whopping 60 kWh. That's where Tesla Model S once started. Yes, fast DC charging is available, likely optional at on-cost. The Chevy site does not mention this, but Mary Barra did, during the ongoing CES show. The car seats five.
All is wrapped into an attractive Euro-style package and is available through the nations largest distribution network. There should be no lack of demand for it. Congrats Chevy!
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