May 2011 sales figures are out, so it’s time to look at the performance of electric vehicle (EV) sales .
In May, Nissan sold 1,142 units. That’s by far their best month yet and almost doubles the amount sold since the car’s launch.
The Chevy Volt did not do so well and only ‘sold’ 481 cars. I say ‘sold’ because it appears that dealers are selling to dealers to grab subsidies, so how many actual Government Motors Volts are in customers hands is unclear. Sales numbers are further blurred if you factor in the news that the government is to buy another 100 Volts and we have no idea how many (if any) GE took delivery of last month.
Much more math like that and Chevy Volt sales will become a valid branch of climate science all on its own.
The year to date has Chevy ahead by a dozen or so vehicles. It’s not looking good for GM. Maybe they should plant another solar panel, or something.
It’s possible that the future of electric vehicles is doomed, not by range anxiety but by driver girth:
Growing waistlines simply prevent a lot of U.S. drivers from feeling comfortable or secure in smaller cars. So, unless the entire country goes on a diet, says Dan Cheng, vice president and partner at business consulting firm AT Kearney, we may be destined to keep driving big cars no matter how much a gallon of gas costs in the future.
Now we know why the First Lady wants to control what we eat.
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Typical conservative methodology. Completely ignore facts and context and manipulate numbers and half truths to fit your preconceived notion of what you believe happened regardless of what the actual data shows.
Let us actually look at the data shall we? First, the Volt has sold more units in the US than the Leaf, second, both vehicles are SUPPLY constrained, meaning there is not enough vehicles to meet demand. Third, both vehicles are only available in a few markets so taking this early data as anything but a cautionary roll out is ridiculous. We’ll have to see if both GM and Nissan meet their end of year targets, and more importantly next year will be the year where we can decide if either will be a success, until then you’re just blowing smoke.
The story about dealers buying Volts is completely over blown, see this article
http://gas2.org/2011/06/01/%E2%80%9Cthe-great-chevy-volt-scam%E2%80%9D-that-wasn%E2%80%99t/
The only information we have regarding production is that Nissan has reduced its planned production numbers from 20,000 to 12,000 because over 50% of those who put down a deposit are not buying the vehicle, while GM bumped its production numbers from 12,000 to 16,000. We’ll have to wait and see.
Typical conservative methodology. Completely ignore facts and context and manipulate numbers and half truths to fit your preconceived notion of what you believe happened regardless of what the actual data shows.
Let us actually look at the data shall we? First, the Volt has sold more units in the US than the Leaf, second, both vehicles are SUPPLY constrained, meaning there is not enough vehicles to meet demand. Third, both vehicles are only available in a few markets so taking this early data as anything but a cautionary roll out is ridiculous. We’ll have to see if both GM and Nissan meet their end of year targets, and more importantly next year will be the year where we can decide if either will be a success, until then you’re just blowing smoke.
The story about dealers buying Volts is completely over blown, see this article
http://gas2.org/2011/06/01/%E2%80%9Cthe-great-chevy-volt-scam%E2%80%9D-that-wasn%E2%80%99t/
The only information we have regarding production is that Nissan has reduced its planned production numbers from 20,000 to 12,000 because over 50% of those who put down a deposit are not buying the vehicle, while GM bumped its production numbers from 12,000 to 16,000. We’ll have to wait and see.
Khadgars, thanks for commenting.
I fail to see what numbers you believe were been manipulated. The sales reports are taken directly from Nissan and GM, they are what they are, disappointing.
The simple fact of the matter is that few people can afford a vehicle that will only go 40 miles before it drifts to a stop. The Leaf and Volt are the Edsels of the modern age.
Khadgars, thanks for commenting.
I fail to see what numbers you believe were been manipulated. The sales reports are taken directly from Nissan and GM, they are what they are, disappointing.
The simple fact of the matter is that few people can afford a vehicle that will only go 40 miles before it drifts to a stop. The Leaf and Volt are the Edsels of the modern age.
Odd, in the mid 1960s a car that people actually seemed to want managed to sell a million units in 18 months. That’s very slightly more than 115 times as many units per month as the Chebby Bolt. I guess we’d better wait until the end of the year to see if it can “catch up” (as they say in the Language of Love).
Odd, in the mid 1960s a car that people actually seemed to want managed to sell a million units in 18 months. That’s very slightly more than 115 times as many units per month as the Chebby Bolt. I guess we’d better wait until the end of the year to see if it can “catch up” (as they say in the Language of Love).
Demand *must* be overwhelming the dealerships. How else can you explain this article in our Florida paper today. There is “so much demand” that dealers are price gouging on “pre-owned” (= tax credit already taken by dealer) Volts.
“Town & Country Chevrolet in Milwaukie, Ore., is asking $51,999 for a 2011 Volt — “pre-owned” with less than 100 miles — because local demand is high, a dealership manager said.”
“Glendale Hyundai in Glendale, Calif., has four used Volts, all with low mileage, priced at $44,995 in what might seem like a bargain compared with some other dealers’ prices…”
My last recollection of this type of nonsense was about 10 years ago when the Ford Escape Hybrid first came out, and dealers were charging a $5,000 ‘incentive’ because… well just because.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/autos/demand-for-volt-leads-to-extreme-dealer-markups/1173531
Demand *must* be overwhelming the dealerships. How else can you explain this article in our Florida paper today. There is “so much demand” that dealers are price gouging on “pre-owned” (= tax credit already taken by dealer) Volts.
“Town & Country Chevrolet in Milwaukie, Ore., is asking $51,999 for a 2011 Volt — “pre-owned” with less than 100 miles — because local demand is high, a dealership manager said.”
“Glendale Hyundai in Glendale, Calif., has four used Volts, all with low mileage, priced at $44,995 in what might seem like a bargain compared with some other dealers’ prices…”
My last recollection of this type of nonsense was about 10 years ago when the Ford Escape Hybrid first came out, and dealers were charging a $5,000 ‘incentive’ because… well just because.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/autos/demand-for-volt-leads-to-extreme-dealer-markups/1173531
I heard the volt comes with a heated bumper…So, your hands stay warm while you push it!
I heard the volt comes with a heated bumper…So, your hands stay warm while you push it!