Last year the plug-in electrified vehicle market rose in the U.S., with the five best sellers carrying an outsized proportion of the total sales.
Americans bought 195,479 PEVs in 2017 , a healthy increase over 2016’s tally of 157,181. Of the 2017 sales, 89,992 were from 24 models of plug-in hybrid available in some or all U.S. markets, and 105,487 were by 16 battery electric vehicles on some or all U.S. markets.
That should help gain a perspective on the share carried by the five best sellers which accounted for 112,782 sales out of the 195,479.
It’s little secret that for all the headlines on a vast sea change promised over the next 3-7 years, many automakers are selling plug-in vehicles only as fast as they need to – in contrast to the few that are in it to win it.
For example, while the Chevy Volt and Prius Prime swung for the bleachers with sales hovering in the 2,000 range in December 2017, sellers of nine other PHEVs documented fewer than 100 sales in the same month. A similar tale is told of the battery electrics. So it goes. It’s said this state of affairs is due to change as costs come down, regulations increase, and competition does also.
Meanwhile, here in descending order are the top five best sellers, and the number of sales each made.
Chevrolet Volt – 20,349
Last year’s top-selling plug-in hybrid – and indeed the top seller since it originated the species in model year 2011 – finished second place among PHEVs, and down 17.7 percent from 2016’s peak of 24,739.
The Volt was the first plug-in car to receive a full redesign, and in 2016 it had documented a few more sales than it had in 2012 and 2013 when it finished with 23,000-some.
Despite an impressive 53 miles EPA-rated EV range, and 42 mpg in hybrid mode, the compact Volt was not able to carry the momentum in light of competitors, including its own Bolt EV sibling. It remains the leader in electric range, and a fantastic car with many fans who love it, and sing its praised.
Toyota Prius Prime – 20,936
The updated plug-in hybrid Prius – the other only plug-in vehicle to receive a full redesign – came from its makers based on the redesigned gen-four Prius Liftback with 25 miles EV range, snappier styling, and documented the best year for the car since 2012.
Several aspects sharpened its value proposition enabling it to narrowly eclipse the Volt’s sales. Despite less range, 25 EPA-rated miles, people weighed that – which is enough statistically for more than half of all daily drives – with 54 mpg in hybrid mode, excellent reliability and resale value expected, and a larger interior for the midsized four seater.
Superior handling from the Toyota New Global Architecture chassis, double wishbone rear suspension, also made it more engaging, and just as engaging was a $28,000 starting price midway in the Liftback hybrid’s range. Basically, shoppers of the regular Prius had a viable choice of a Prius with 2 mpg better fuel economy compared to most trims, and the extra added bonus of it being a part-time EV for 25 miles.
Tesla Model X – 21,700 estimated
Note the battery electric cars sold better than the plug-in hybrids, and as is always notable, Tesla’s example starts around the $70,000 range, and quickly ascends into the six figures, yet it outsold vehicles priced far less.
The 21,700 estimated X sales represented an increase over the 18,028 of 2017 for the falcon-winged “SUV” that’s really a road-going crossover.
Based on the Model S, the X was a detour on the way of model rollouts Tesla took on its path toward the Model 3 – which should have been on this list, but as most know, its production line has had teething problems.
The quick Model X meanwhile is an example of posh conspicuous consumption, all –electric and eco friendly, and helped raise the tally by accounting for over 10 percent the combined sales of the 40 plug-in vehicles. Not bad for a luxury vehicle that just a few years ago would not have been expected to sell nearly that many.
Chevrolet Bolt EV – 23,297
General Motors' Chevy Bolt EV raised the bar for what range can be had for the dollar when it anted up 238 EPA-rated miles for a starting price of $37,495.
Sales of 579 units began December 2016, so 2017 was the effective first year with no prior years to compare. The EV actually did not come that close to the over-30,000 best the Nissan Leaf made a few years ago, but did manage to top the Volt, and find itself sandwiched between the two Teslas.
The Bolt zips to 60 in 6.5 seconds, the 60-kWh battery in floor of the purpose-built EV helps lower the center of gravity for handling good enough that GM held an autocross with a VW GTI on hand for comparison.
This performance factor also sets it above the others in its sub-$40,000 class – with the exception to date of the Model 3 – and the Bolt is otherwise positioned well for respectable sales next year.
Tesla Model S 26,500 estimated
The original ludicrously quick luxury performance EV that’s been evolved since 2012 continued to document good numbers with an estimated 26,500 sales – the best among plug-in cars in 2017, in fact, but below its 29,156 recorded in 2016.
Evolutionary developments including AWD, Autopilot, revised styling, and more have kept the Model S relevant. This has let it buck a trend among automobiles to see their sales taper downward when they get older in their product life cycles – and at this point, it is not young as it enters its sixth year.
Not hurting things is the Model S is in a class of one, with no other true competitor expected before the end of this decade. Tesla’s status and the growing Supercharger network and other intangibles also add up to keep the car fresh in the eyes of buyers.
That was enough to make it 2017’s best seller. Like the X, that’s quite a feat for a car in a class that ordinarily does not lead ostensible mainstream priced modes of transportation.
HybridCars.com