Why is the LEAF pulling away from the Volt?

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RegGuheert said:
I find it "funny" that you trot out a "sub-$30K" category now that you can show PHEVs winning in that price range. You made no mention of that category for the past few years when it was dominated by BEVs.

But that's par for the course for someone who comes to a BEV forum daily to bash BEVs and promote all more-polluting alternatives.

Meanwhile, in the US as well as worldwide, BEVs are outselling PHEVs.
Reg, I made no mention of it because there were so few cars that qualified - from memory, it was the iMiEV and Spark EV [Edit: forgot the Smart ED. Given that it and the iMiEV only have 68 and 62 miles of range and sell in very small numbers, easy to do], and for a short time the LEAF S (although that had its MSRP boosted and no longer qualifies), so I didn't think it worth breaking out, especially as the iMiEV's range was so limited. In the sub-$40k market, the Volt has been winning for some time, so how has anything changed?

Now that the Prime and the Ionic BEV are both available, the Focus EV has dropped its price while increasing its range, and there's the prospect of more sub-$30k PEVs to come, I think it's worthwhile to separate them. Also, some years ago I stated that IMO the general public wouldn't start to consider BEVs until they could buy one with 150 miles of range for no more than $30k MSRP, and we are now approaching that point - we've got a 124 mile BEV (the Ionic) offered for a base MSRP of $29,500 - IDK whether that is enough to get past the tipping point, or whether my estimate of 150 miles will be. Judging by some of the comments in the LEAF 2 thread about 30 versus 40 versus 60kWh LEAFs, 150 miles at a lower price does seem to be a popular option.

Assuming that I'm still bothering to post then, once sub-$25k PEVs appear in substantial numbers I'll break them out as well; ditto for sub-$20k PEVs, as each $5k step down doubles the size of the potential market.

As to your persistent belief that I am somehow anti-BEV, I'm pro-facts, and am in favor of all reduced/non-fossil-fueled alternatives that have a reasonable chance of success. That you interpret this as bashing BEVs is your perception - I've been happy to recommend BEVs generally and/or particular models specifically when I believe they're a good fit for someone, just as I'm happy to recommend HEVs or PHEVs (even FCEVs for the tiny % of people I'd consider a good match now) if I think those are, but I do believe that people should understand their options as well as why they are making the decision (i.e. what their priorities are) - after that, it's up to them to choose. Now that longer-ranged BEVs are showing up at lower prices I'm willing to recommend them more often because IMO they are a good fit for more people, but I won't recommend something if I think long-term success would be questionable. My philosophy with new tech has always been what my sig used to say, "under-promise and over-deliver rather than the reverse"; I'd rather not recommend something new to someone if there's a more than minuscule chance that they'll be disappointed down the road, because dissatisfied customers make a lot more noise than happy ones, and are more likely to retard future growth than hasten it.
 
GRA said:
RegGuheert said:
I find it "funny" that you trot out a "sub-$30K" category now that you can show PHEVs winning in that price range. You made no mention of that category for the past few years when it was dominated by BEVs.

But that's par for the course for someone who comes to a BEV forum daily to bash BEVs and promote all more-polluting alternatives.

Meanwhile, in the US as well as worldwide, BEVs are outselling PHEVs.
Reg, I made no mention of it because there were so few cars that qualified - from memory, it was the iMiEV and Spark EV, and for a short time the LEAF S (although that had its MSRP boosted and no longer qualifies), so I didn't think it worth breaking out, especially as the iMiEV's range was so limited. In the sub-$40k market, the Volt has been winning for some time, so how has anything changed?

Now that the Prime and the Ionic BEV are both available, the Focus EV has dropped its price while increasing its range, and there's the prospect of more sub-$30k PEVs to come, I think it's worthwhile to separate them. Also, some years ago I stated that IMO the general public wouldn't start to consider BEVs until they could buy one with 150 miles of range for no more than $30k MSRP, and we are now approaching that point - we've got a 124 mile BEV (the Ionic) offered for a base MSRP of $29,500 - IDK whether that is enough to get past the tipping point, or whether my estimate of 150 miles will be. Judging by some of the comments in the LEAF 2 thread about 30 versus 40 versus 60kWh LEAFs, 150 miles at a lower price does seem to be a popular option.

Assuming that I'm still bothering to post then, once sub-$25k PEVs appear in substantial numbers I'll break them out as well; ditto for sub-$20k PEVs, as each $5k step down doubles the size of the potential market.

As to your persistent belief that I am somehow anti-BEV, I'm pro-facts, and am in favor of all reduced/non-fossil-fueled alternatives that have a reasonable chance of success. That you interpret this as bashing BEVs is your perception - I've been happy to recommend BEVs generally and/or particular models specifically when I believe they're a good fit for someone, just as I'm happy to recommend HEVs or PHEVs (even FCEVs for the tiny % of people I'd consider a good match now) if I think those are, but I do believe that people should understand their options as well as why they are making the decision (i.e. what their priorities are) - after that, it's up to them to choose. Now that longer-ranged BEVs are showing up at lower prices I'm willing to recommend them more often because IMO they are a good fit for more people, but I won't recommend something if I think long-term success would be questionable. My philosophy with new tech has always been what my sig used to say, "under-promise and over-deliver rather than the reverse"; I'd rather not recommend something new to someone if there's a more than minuscule chance that they'll be disappointed down the road, because dissatisfied customers make a lot more noise than happy ones, and are more likely to retard future growth than hasten it.


I still say a lot of the reason PHEVs outsell BEVs is because they make the PHEVs available nationwide plus they make most of them look like normal, mainstream cars that people aren't turned off by.

Look at how nice the gen 2 Volt looks and how dorky the Bolt EV looks! It's like they go out of their way to make BEVs very undesirable. Chevy should have put the Bolt EV drivetrain into one of their more popular selling vehicles. Even the Cruze would look a lot better as an EV version then the dorky Bolt! Same goes for the LEAF, they should have made an EV version of the Altima, WAY better looking! More people would buy it!

Ford Fusion is another example, very nice looking car yet they don't offer it in a BEV format, only hybrid & PHEV. We get the ugly Focus EV instead? Why is that?

Then you have the IONIQ, another nice, normal looking car. Not ugly or dorky at all. Same problem! They only offer the hybrid version nationwide and soon the PHEV version. But OH NO you can only get the BEV version in California right now.

They don't want BEVs to succeed it's quite obvious because they are doing it all wrong. The only company doing it right is Tesla, they know the right formula to get people to buy BEVs. Style, performance, range and utility are crucial factors in getting consumers interested in BEVs. No reason the other automakers can't produce a compelling BEV, they just don't want to, they would rather sell you an F-150 pickup truck!
 
rcm4453 said:
I still say a lot of the reason PHEVs outsell BEVs is because they make the PHEVs available nationwide plus they make most of them look like normal, mainstream cars that people aren't turned off by.

Look at how nice the gen 2 Volt looks and how dorky the Bolt EV looks! It's like they go out of their way to make BEVs very undesirable. Chevy should have put the Bolt EV drivetrain into one of their more popular selling vehicles. Even the Cruze would look a lot better as an EV version then the dorky Bolt! Same goes for the LEAF, they should have made an EV version of the Altima, WAY better looking! More people would buy it!

Ford Fusion is another example, very nice looking car yet they don't offer it in a BEV format, only hybrid & PHEV. We get the ugly Focus EV instead? Why is that?

Then you have the IONIQ, another nice, normal looking car. Not ugly or dorky at all. Same problem! They only offer the hybrid version nationwide and soon the PHEV version. But OH NO you can only get the BEV version in California right now.

They don't want BEVs to succeed it's quite obvious because they are doing it all wrong. The only company doing it right is Tesla, they know the right formula to get people to buy BEVs. Style, performance, range and utility are crucial factors in getting consumers interested in BEVs. No reason the other automakers can't produce a compelling BEV, they just don't want to, they would rather sell you an F-150 pickup truck!
Looks are of course subjective. I personally like the Bolt, and think its looks match well with its intended function. I rate the Focus EV tops in looks for a hatchback (its biggest drawback is the battery eating up most of the cargo area, plus the until recent low range and lack of QC) - I put the 500e and Model S about equal for looks, with the 500e winning by pulling off an almost impossible task of looking both aggressive and cute, without being saccharine. They sell quite well (for a BEV) here in the Bay Area.

I grant you that the LEAF looks dorky to many people, although for sheer dorkiness or maybe weirdness the current Prius (all versions, with the Prime looking slightly less weird) handily beats the LEAF IMO. I think the Smart and iMiEV look cute and so meek as to be almost invisible, respectively. But the Focus EV, e-Golf, Spark EV, 500e all look as normal as their gas versions, so I don't think we can chalk up their relatively low sales (compared to ICEs) to looks. As for the Fusion, which I agree is a very nice albeit quite conventional-looking sedan (the Model S is in the same category, although it's actually a hatch), I see lots of ICE/HEV/PHEV versions every day, and I'd say the ratio runs about 7/3/1 in that order. The higher price plus the big hit on trunk space is the major reason why I think the PHEV doesn't sell as well as the others, but even so it's quite popular among PEVs here, with the HOV lane stickers undoubtedly contributing a lot to its popularity (as they did with the PiP, a car which I and many others felt had little to recommend it otherwise). And although the C-Max Energi sells relatively well here, I'm sure its sales are retarded by the same problem it shares with the Focus and Fusion - the battery in the cargo area. Absent that drawback, given its price and the popularity of CUVs now I suspect its sales would likely be at least double what they are.

The Mirai and to a slightly lesser extent the Clarity's sales prospects certainly aren't helped by their weirdness/ugliness, which are limited enough as it is; only the Tucson looks normal among current FCEVs.

Bottom line, with California making up somewhere between 40-50% of all PEV sales, and the other CARB states plus a few liberal enclaves like Austin, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Madison, Denver etc. taking up most of the rest, BEVs simply haven't demonstrated much ability to sell beyond them, so I think it's entirely reasonable for manufacturers to concentrate on the markets where they have the best chance. For the rest of the country and the general public, PHEVs are a much easier step than a BEV is.
 
May's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,341, 40.9% (8 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Smart ED).
PHEV, 6,274, 59.1% (7 types: Volt; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 E-tron; Sonata PHEV; Prius Prime; Optima PHV)
Total 10,615.

4.4% increase/decrease for BEVs/PHEVs respectively compared to last month. Prius Prime beats the Volt for the second straight month, increasing its monthly lead to 91 (1,908 to 1,817) while still supply constrained. The Fusion (1,000) and C-Max (950) Energis are both strong, with the C-Max achieving its best May sales ever. The Bolt's #1 among sub-$40k BEVs for the second straight month at 1,566, beating out the LEAF at 1,392, and currently has the lead for the year by 208 (5,950 to 5,742). The 500e continues to sell well at 665, followed by the e-Golf with 381. The Focus EV is in the second month of same old, same old, with 132, with the Soul EV just behind at 129, and the Ionic quadrupled sales from 19 to 75 in its second full month on the market. The Smart ED only sold a single copy, and the Spark EV and iMiev dropped off the list as neither of them registered any sales.


May's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 589, 17.1% (4 types: e-Golf; Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV; Smart ED)
PHEV, 2,858, 82.9% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total, 3,447

2.1% increase/decrease from last month for BEV/PHEVs respectively. Prime's #1 by a mile, the C-Max #2. e-Golf is the #1 BEV with 381, the FFE #2 with 132 and the Ionic #3 with 75, with the Smart managing a single sale, and the Spark and iMiEV gone.
 
June's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,147, 42.3% (9 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Smart ED, Spark EV).
PHEV, 5,664, 57.7% (7 types: Volt; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 E-tron; Sonata PHEV; Prius Prime; Optima PHV)
Total 9,811.

Total sales were down across the board except for the Bolt, A3 and C-Max Energi, but BEV/PHEV % increased/decreased by 1.4% last month. The Bolt beat out the LEAF 1,642 to 1,506. 500e sales (most likely $79/month leases) are off a bit at 495, with the e-Golf dropping to 232, while the FFE does its usual 100+ (110) and the Soul EV moved an even 100. Ionic BEV sales remain tepid at 58. At the tail end, 3 Smart EDs and 1 Spark EV were sold/leased.

Among PHEVs the Volt beats the Prime 1,745 to to 1,619, and in a surprise win, the C-Max Energi outsold the Fusion Energi (for only the 2nd time) 936 to 707. The A-3 e-Tron moved 324, the Sonata PHEV was next at 255 (finally spotted one this week) and the Optima brought up the rear with 78.

June's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 404, 13.7% (5 types: e-Golf; Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV; Smart ED, Spark EV)
PHEV, 2,555, 86.3% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total, 2,959

Overall total is down, as are all individual cars other than the C-Max Energi. 3.4% decrease/increase from last month for BEV/PHEV share respectively. Prime's #1 with 1,619, the C-Max #2 with 936. e-Golf is the #1 BEV with 232, the FFE #2 with 132 and the Ionic #3 with 75, with the Smart ED moving 3 and the Spark EV a single copy.
 
GRA said:
June's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,147, 42.3% (9 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Smart ED, Spark EV).
PHEV, 5,664, 57.7% (7 types: Volt; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 E-tron; Sonata PHEV; Prius Prime; Optima PHV)
Total 9,811.

Total sales were down across the board except for the Bolt and A3, but BEV/PHEV % increased/decreased by 1.4% last month. The Bolt beat out the LEAF 1,642 to 1,506. 500e sales (most likely $79/month leases) are off a bit at 495, with the e-Golf dropping to 232, while the FFE does its usual 100+ (110) and the Soul EV moved an even 100. Ionic BEV sales remain tepid at 58. At the tail end, 3 Smart EDs and 1 Spark EV were sold/leased.

Among PHEVs the Volt beats the Prime 1,745 to to 1,619, and in a surprise win, the C-Max Energi outsold the Fusion Energi (for only the 2nd time) 936 to 707. The A-3 e-Tron moved 324, the Sonata PHEV was next at 255 (finally spotted one this week) and the Optima brought up the rear with 78.

June's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 404, 13.7% (5 types: e-Golf; Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV; Smart ED, Spark EV)
PHEV, 2,555, 86.3% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total, 2,959

Overall total is down, as are all individual cars other than the C-Max Energi. 3.4% decrease/increase from last month for BEV/PHEV share respectively. Prime's #1 with 1,619, the C-Max #2 with 936. e-Golf is the #1 BEV with 232, the FFE #2 with 132 and the Ionic #3 with 75, with the Smart ED moving 3 and the Spark EV a single copy.

I think you should just go ahead and call the Leaf "affordable". I realize the MSRP is >$30k, but they are selling for <$25k
 
Nah, I'm not about to try and track monthly discounts and specials, as they can vary so much by area and time. All cars get those (that's definitely helped the Energis and the 500e) at some point. If the car companies want to lower their MSRP, that's a different matter.
 
Tardy posting this, due to laziness.

July's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,408, 45.2% (9 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Spark EV, Clarity BEV).
PHEV, 5,338, 54.8.% (8 types: Volt; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 E-tron; Sonata PHEV; Prius Prime; Optima PHV, Mini countryman PHV)
Total 9,746.

Total sub-$40k PEV sales were down by 65 M-o-M, and BEV/PHEV % increased/decreased by 1.9% as the Bolt took the top spot with 1,971, followed by the Prime (1,645), Volt (1,518) and LEAF (1,283). 500e sales (most likely $79/month leases) are off a bit at 475, with the e-Golf up to 308, the FFE does its usual 100+ (148) and the Soul EV moved 145, up from 100. Ionic BEV sales remain tepid at 43, down from 58, and the Clarity BEV moved 34 in its debut month. At the tail end, 1 Spark EV was sold/leased.

The C-Max Energi outsold the Fusion Energi (for only the 3rd time) 844 to 703, both down from last month. The A-3 e-tron dropped over 100 to 218, the Sonata PHEV was next at 205, its corporate twin the Optima sold 130, and bringing up the rear, the 'why bother' Mini Countryman PHV sold 75, up from 10 last month (its debut).

July's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 500, 16.7% (4 types: e-Golf; Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV; Spark EV)
PHEV, 2,489, 83.3% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total, 2,989

*NOTE: the Clarity Electric is only available for lease, at $269/month. This would probably put it in with the sub-$40k but not the sub-$30k group.
 
evnow said:
Why is the LEAF pulling away from the Volt?

Title of this topic has not aged well.
:lol:

Still, I enjoy the updates GRA provides.

RegGuheert said:
evnow said:
Title of this topic has not aged well.
True that. Perhaps it will begin to improve next month?

Probably not in September. The 2018 Leaf will be revealed in all its glory, but will not yet be available to buy. More like next calendar year.
 
August's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,599, 46.4% (9 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Clarity BEV; Smart ED).
PHEV, 5,314, 53.2% (8 types: Volt; Prius Prime; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 e-tron; Sonata PHEV; Optima PHV; Mini Countryman PHV)
Total 9,913.

Total sub-$40k PEV sales were up by 167 M-o-M, and BEV/PHEV % increased/decreased by 1.2% as the Bolt took the top spot with 2,107, followed by the Prime (1,807), Volt (1,445) and LEAF (1,154). 500e sales (most likely $79/month leases) are further down at 415, with the e-Golf slightly up to 3q7, the FFE does its usual 100+ (131) and the Soul EV jumped from 145 to 300. Ionic BEV sales remain tepid at 66, up from 43, and the Clarity BEV moved aroind 15 in its 2nd month.

The C-Max Energi failed to outsell the Fusion Energi last month, 705 to 762, with the Fusion's sales slightly up and the C-Max's down (from 844). The A-3 e-tron had another significant drop from 218 to 129, the Sonata and Optima PHEV twins were nearly tied at 185 and 182 respectively, and bringing up the rear, the 'why bother' Mini Countryman PHV sold 86, up from 75 last month.

August's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 514, 16.9% (4 types: e-Golf; Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV, Smart ED)
PHEV, 2,525, 83.1% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total 3,039. Increase/decrease of 0.2% for BEV/PHEV market share, respectively.

*NOTE: the Clarity Electric is only available for lease, at $269/month. This would probably put it in with the sub-$40k but not the sub-$30k group.
 
GetOffYourGas said:
For my own curiosity, are you excluding the Model 3 because the sub-$40k version is not yet available?
Yes. Once it's available I'll include it, assuming I can find a breakout of short vs. long-range version sales numbers. The Model 3 will be the first PEV to have an over/under $40k base MSRP owing to a different size battery, so I'm not totally sure what to do if I can't find the split - maybe just mention it separately kind of like the lease-only Clarity BEV? The only other vehicle that could have been an issue to date was the i3/i3 REx, but thankfully BMW base-priced them both over $40k.

Another option would be to drop the sub-$40k semi-affordable category to sub-$35k, which would exclude the Model 3, but also the Bolt and several other cars that rack up decent sales, so I'm not inclined to do that.
 
GRA said:
Another option would be to drop the sub-$40k semi-affordable category to sub-$35k, which would exclude the Model 3, but also the Bolt and several other cars that rack up decent sales, so I'm not inclined to do that.
That's a funny statement since the ONLY reason you have chosen to put in a threshold is to distort the fact that BEVs outsell PHEVs into one in which you try to show that PHEVs are actually selling better than BEVs. They are not. Not in cars. Not in buses.
 
RegGuheert said:
GRA said:
Another option would be to drop the sub-$40k semi-affordable category to sub-$35k, which would exclude the Model 3, but also the Bolt and several other cars that rack up decent sales, so I'm not inclined to do that.
That's a funny statement since the ONLY reason you have chosen to put in a threshold is to distort the fact that BEVs outsell PHEVs into one in which you try to show that PHEVs are actually selling better than BEVs. They are not. Not in cars. Not in buses.
You are entitled to your opinion of my motivation, Reg, erroneous though it is.
 
September's U.S. sales total for semi-affordable sub-$40k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 4,846, 47.4% (9 types: Bolt; LEAF; 500e; e-Golf; Soul EV; Focus Electric; Ionic BEV; Clarity BEV; Smart ED).
PHEV, 5,381, 52.6% (8 types: Volt; Prius Prime; Fusion Energi; C-Max Energi; A3 E-tron; Sonata PHEV; Optima PHV; Mini Countryman PHV)
Total 10,227.

Total sub-$40k PEV sales were up by 167 M-o-M, and BEV/PHEV % increased/decreased by 1.0% as the Bolt took the top spot with 2,632, followed by the Prime (1,899), Volt (1,453) and LEAF (1,055). 500e sales (most likely $79/month leases) are further down at 375, with the e-Golf dropping to 187 (from 307), the FFE does its usual 100+ (131) and the Soul EV dropped a bit to 255 (300). Ionic BEV sales remain tepid at 36, down from 66, and the Clarity BEV moved 52.

The C-Max Energi failed to outsell the Fusion Energi last month, 683 to 763, with the Fusion's sales virtually the sames and the C-Max's down slightly (from 705). The A-3 e-tron continued to drop, from 129 to 85, the Sonata and Optima PHEV twins were at 190 and 228 respectively, and bringing up the rear, the 'why bother' Mini Countryman PHV sold 80, down slightly from 86 last month.

August's U.S. sales total for affordable, sub-$30k MSRP PEVs:

BEV, 247* or 434, 8.7% or 14.4% (3 or 4 types: Focus Electric; IONIQ BEV, Smart ED or e-Golf)
PHEV, 2,582, 91.3% or 85.6% (2 types: Prius Prime; C-Max Energi)
Total 2,829* or 3,816. Decrease/increase of 8.2% or 2.5% for BEV/PHEV market share, respectively.

*Note that the first numbers all e-golfs were the bigger battery and more expensive version that moved it out of this category, although there were undoubtedly some of the 24kWh battery cars left, but don't have a breakdown. The 2nd numbers are if all e-Golfs were the small battery car.

*NOTE: the Clarity Electric is only available for lease, at $269/month. This would probably put it in with the sub-$40k but not the sub-$30k group.
 
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