In June 2016, the plug-in sales results were almost all higher than the previous month. Here are the June 2016 sales figures, compared to the previous month:
- Chevy Volt: UP 2% (1,937 vs. 1,901)
- Nissan Leaf: UP 12% (1,096 vs. 979)
- Plug-in Toyota Prius: UP 175% (11 vs. 4) *Don’t get too excited.
- Tesla Model S: UP 208% (3,700 vs. 1,200) **estimated
- BMW i3: DOWN 13% (608 vs. 696) *** second month, in a row, to drop double digits
- BMW i8: UP 16% (169 vs. 146)
- Ford Fusion Energi: UP 17% (1,700 vs. 1,453)
- Ford C-Max Energi: UP 17% (630 vs. 538) ***both Ford models up 17%? Odd.
In June, the average price of gasoline continued to rise, for a 12 days or so, up to $2.39 per gallon, in the U.S. Then, it started a pretty deep dive, ending around $2.29. This drop has continued into July. This breaks the price trend we’ve been seeing for a couple months now.
The Chevy Volt had another pretty good month, posting 1,937 units sold and increasing its lead over the Nissan Leaf, in total units sold, since inception. The Volt’s lead is about two months’ sales of the Leaf (2,902 units). Total Volt sales, since inception, is now within striking distance of 100,000 units sold. Unless the Leaf or Model S does something amazing next month, the Volt should become the first plug-in vehicle to sell 100,000 units, in the U.S. alone.
In the lower graph, I find it interesting that the Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt all have very similar adoption trend curves. Is this the new adoption curve of successful vehicle adoption? Time will tell…
June traffic at my dealership was terrible, the first two weeks of the month. My sales in those two weeks totaled only two units. The second half of the month was the opposite, with me posting eight sales and one half-sale. With that last rush, I had 1/2 unit higher sales (deal split with another salesperson) than my best June so far.
When looking at my own sales, by vehicle, my Volt sales lost a little ground to the most common item I sell, the Silverado 1500 pickup. I sold two Silverado 1500s but only one Volt, in June. My total Volt sales are now at 38, while my Silverado 1500 sales are at 42. Third place in my sales is the Corvette Stingray.
Plug-in sales, compared to the same month a year ago, were mixed, with several whose sales are WAY down. The Leaf and Prius are probably suffering from iPhone Syndrome, as new, improved models have been announced and sales have started to drop, on the current models. Tesla year-over-year numbers reflect a major increase in output. However, the big jump up, both as a percentage and in units, was that of the Ford Fusion Energi. The Ford’s sales increased by 973 units, where the Model S only increased by 900 units (estimated) and its percentage increase was 134%, versus the Volt’s increase of 58%.
- Chevy Volt: UP 58% (1,937 vs. 1,225)
- Nissan Leaf: DOWN 47% (1,096 vs. 2,074)
- Plug-in Toyota Prius: DOWN 98% (11 vs. 464)
- Tesla Model S: UP 32% (3,700 vs. 2,800)
- BMW i3: UP 10% (608 vs. 551)
- BMW i8: UP 23% (169 vs. 137)
- Ford Fusion Energi: UP 134% (1,700 vs. 727)
- Ford C-Max Energi: DOWN 6% (630 vs. 667)
