2013 August Plugin Sales Discussion : 50,000 EVs since 2011

[evnow]

Both Leaf & Volt have all time high sales this month.

Leaf : 2420

Volt : 3351

And PIP joins the fun !

PIP : 1,791

We already have a total of 9,264 plugins. Ford sells about 1 thousand, so we should see more than 10,000 plugins sold in a month for the first time !

One more milestone : More than 50,000 EVs have been sold since Leaf was introduced in 2011. We already reached 100,000 plugin milestone a couple of months back.

 

[scottf200]

Here is Nissan's expectation:

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/08/21/nissan-leaf-production-increase-slowed-by-electrodes-ev-china/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Smyrna, TN. After all, the automaker has been building EVs there since early this year and can make enough batteries there for over 150,000 cars a year.

Hayes said that Nissan did recently decide to increase Leaf production – from around 2,000 a month to 2,500 – but that it just takes time before that decision turns into more vehicles out the door. "What we wanted to see was a sustained 2,000 [sales] a month and it's no secret that we're running kind of tight on dealer inventory," he said. "What people don't really understand is that yes, we have capacity but there is also a lead time because of electrode production. Between the time that we make a decision to increase production to the time it actually goes up is about six months. We recently made the decision to increase production in the Smyrna plant, but we won't see that until November or December."

The new, higher production number will itself be reevaluated in the coming months – Hayes said he is "very optimistic" it will also be moved up – but any further increase would then take another six months to implement. That means we're not going to see US Leaf sales break out of their 2,000-3,000 monthly sales levels until at least the summer of 2014.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

we have heard Nissan's plans to increase production but I missed the part that stated when these extra LEAFs will hit the show room. I think constrained supplies and less favorable lease terms will hold sales slightly under 2,000. anything over that would mean a smaller supply on the lot and that supply is already pretty small

 

[GRA]

August numbers should trickle in on 2nd & 3rd of Sep.

Given the not so good lease rates on Leaf, I expect lower than $2k sales. Volt also might be lower as people wait for MY14 ?

I doubt that we'll see a lot of people waiting for the 2014 volts. They're essentially unchanged from the 2013s other than a couple new colors, unlike last year where you had an improved battery and the Hold button. I'd think anyone in the know would try to get a great deal on a 2013.

 

[MrIanB]

My guess,

Leaf----1,685

Volt----2,154

Either way, lets keep the sales going for all EVs.

Ian B

 

[Deleted member 9549]

Volt inventory 8/1 was 7057. There were all presumably 2013s or older. Today reporting inventory of 5185 2013s and older with 709 2014s already in stock for a total of 5894.

That indicates sales of almost 1900 2013s already not counting any sales of 2014.

I'm guessing around 2500 for the Volt this month, maybe as much as 3000. Definitely a good month. The news of the $5000 price drop will have a big effect with consumer awareness.

The Leaf appears to continue to have production problems. Inventory continues to hover around 2000 units.

I'm guessing around 1800 for the Leaf.

This will put the Volt back on top for the year. I expect Volt sales to continue to be strong the rest of the year as they continue to have to move 5000 prior model year vehicles. Nissan seems overly cautious about increasing production so its likely to stay around or below 2000 the rest of the year.

The Spark EV inventory continues to hover around 100 at 105. There's no sign of a production rampup nor plans to distribute further than CARB states.

I'm guessing around 100-150 for the Spark EV.

 

[smkettner]

Just about flat is my prediction.
Volt needs to find buyers, Nissan is stuck in low production.

 

[evnow]

The Spark EV inventory continues to hover around 100 at 105. There's no sign of a production rampup nor plans to distribute further than CARB states.

Again that C word comes to mind ...

 

[adric22]

I'm guessing around 2500 for the Volt this month, maybe as much as 3000. Definitely a good month. The news of the $5000 price drop will have a big effect with consumer awareness.

I'm hoping for 3,000+ on the Volt. I think that would be the first time any plug-in vehicle has had 3,000 in a month. I don't think it is unrealistic either. Like you said, they've already sold at least 1,900 right now. We don't know how many 2014's have been sold. We still have a week of August left. So we only need another 1,100 to be sold. You can probably subtract a few hundred from that number for the mystery 2014 figures. So that means we need maybe 500-700 of the 2013's to move in this last week. Being the news of the price drop is still pretty fresh, that gives me hope!

 

[jhm614]

Okay, I will play -

Leaf - 2,250; still inventory & production limited
Volt - 2,650; incentives and price drop keep driving the sales
Spark - 330; still ramping up

 

[adric22]

Just a follow up here on the Volt.. If inventory was 7,057 on August 1st and now it is 4,825 that means 2,232 have been sold so far this month. From what I can see, they've sold around 1,000 Volts in the last few days. At that rate they'll sell another thousand or so before the end of the month. Which means they could easily break 3,000 just with 2013 models alone. Add 2014 models in the mix and I think it is almost guaranteed.

 

[scottf200]

Just a follow up here on the Volt.. If inventory was 7,057 on August 1st and now it is 4,825 that means 2,232 have been sold so far this month. From what I can see, they've sold around 1,000 Volts in the last few days. At that rate they'll sell another thousand or so before the end of the month. Which means they could easily break 3,000 just with 2013 models alone. Add 2014 models in the mix and I think it is almost guaranteed.

Article find via: mbelverud on gm-volt
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-28/gm-boosts-chevrolet-malibu-fuel-efficiency-to-top-camry.html?cmpid=yhoo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Separately, sales of the company’s plug-in Volt sedan will be a record in August, Reuss said, without elaborating.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Article find via: mbelverud on gm-volt
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-28/gm-boosts-chevrolet-malibu-fuel-efficiency-to-top-camry.html?cmpid=yhoo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That link is to an article about the Malibu, is that what you intended? Although it did bring up a question I've had, sorry, OT, but on these ICE cars with idle stop, is the A/C electrically powered? I test drove an insight and noticed the A/C cut out when you were stopped at a light... FTS, people will turn that feature off post haste, yet another negative in the "who needs EVs, ICE cars are so efficient now" argument.

Back OT, I don't have a prediction for Leaf sales for August, but for Sept-April I expect it to be dismal on account of people waiting for the new battery.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Back OT, I don't have a prediction for Leaf sales for August, but for Sept-April I expect it to be dismal on account of people waiting for the new battery.

Besides people who hang out here and at other EV-related forums, how many people will have heard of the new battery? I would think that those aware of it are a rather small percentage of potential LEAF buyers.

Nevertheless, for those who do know about the new battery your point makes sense. And, perhaps, that is why LEAF production has been kept at fairly low levels thus far.

 

[Zythryn]

Article find via: mbelverud on gm-volt
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-28/gm-boosts-chevrolet-malibu-fuel-efficiency-to-top-camry.html?cmpid=yhoo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That link is to an article about the Malibu, is that what you intended? ...

The article is about the Malibu, however the quote about a record month was about the Volt.

 

[scottf200]

Title: August Best Selling Month Ever For EVs; Chevy Volt To Be First Plug-In To Pass 3,000 Mark
http://insideevs.com/august-best-selling-month-ever-for-evs-chevy-volt-to-be-first-plug-in-to-pass-3000-mark/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

And, perhaps, that is why LEAF production has been kept at fairly low levels thus far.

I've thought since day one Nissan has wanted to keep the numbers low if for no other reason than the unknown... you can test till you're blue in the face, but until the cars are actually out there in consumers' hands, operating in all sorts of conditions, nobody really knew for sure what kind of problems could be encountered with this new type of car. Some problems might ultimately be traced back to a loose nut behind the wheel, but that doesn't make them any less of problems they have to deal with. The battery degradation was just one possibility, maybe they knew it, maybe they didn't, maybe they knew it but they didn't know how bad.

 

[smkettner]

LEAF numbers will be flat for another year until the "hot battery" can be produced in quantity.
JMHO

 

[scottf200]

And, perhaps, that is why LEAF production has been kept at fairly low levels thus far.

I've thought since day one Nissan has wanted to keep the numbers low if for no other reason than the unknown... you can test till you're blue in the face, but until the cars are actually out there in consumers' hands, operating in all sorts of conditions, nobody really knew for sure what kind of problems could be encountered with this new type of car. Some problems might ultimately be traced back to a loose nut behind the wheel, but that doesn't make them any less of problems they have to deal with. The battery degradation was just one possibility, maybe they knew it, maybe they didn't, maybe they knew it but they didn't know how bad.

It has been over 2.5 years tho! As well the have 4 production plants!

3 Production
3.1 Oppama, Japan, 3.2 Smyrna, Tennessee, 3.3 Sunderland, England, 3.4 Guangdong, China

4 Markets and sales
4.1 Australia, 4.2 Canada, 4.3 China, 4.4 Europe, 4.5 Japan, 4.6 United States, 4.7 Other countries, 4.8 Global sales

LEAF sales are more than 75K where the Volt is only at 54K. http://insideevs.com/global-nissan-leaf-sales-zip-past-75000/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[RegGuheert]

LEAF sales are more than 75K where the Volt is only at 54K. http://insideevs.com/global-nissan-leaf-sales-zip-past-75000/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting quote form the article:

How successful is the Nissan LEAF?  To date, Nissan has sold more LEAFs than all other pure electric vehicle combined.  How’s that for success?

I didn't quite realize that!

It's good to see the Volt having a great month!

BTW, according to our LEAF salesperson (now sales manager), they count sales for August through Tuesday next week.