May 2012 Dashboard

June 5, 2012

The HybridCars.com monthly sales dashboard is a collaboration of HybridCars.com and Baum & Associates, a Michigan-based market research firm focusing on automotive issues including the hybrid and electric vehicle market.

May hybrid sales are down from last month and trail the change in overall sales as compared to last month. Compared to last year, sales of hybrids are up dramatically relative to May 2011 when availability was limited due to the earthquake/tsunami. In May 2012, the Prius hybrids and the Camry hybrid (12 percent of total Camry sales) together represent two-thirds of all hybrid sales.

Malibu mild hybrids have remained steady at approximately 1,500 per month over the last three months, but should increase when the 2013 Malibu becomes fully available later this year. Volumes on the Buick LaCrosse mild hybrid are also steady at approximately 1,200 monthly, representing approximately one-quarter of total LaCrosse sales.

After three months of hybrid sales ranging from 3.2 percent to 3.4 percent of total sales, they fell to 2.8 percent of sales in May, presumably due to a decline in fuel prices.

Note we have been able to continue splitting the Prius line into its four component parts. Also new hybrids this month are the Acura ILX and BMW 5 Series, and among plug-ins, we’ve begun counting the Ford Focus Electric.

As for plug-in vehicles overall, sales are up dramatically year-to-date and May 2012 vs. 2011, but they declined 6 percent from April 2012, primarily due to a decline in the sales of the Prius plug-in which is new to the market and availability issues may be in play since the product has only been in the market since late February.

Both the Leaf and the Volt gained volume as compared to April and of course year-to-date compared to last year when the products were being rolled out. So far this year, the Volt is the best-selling plug-in model and this should remain the case over the next several months.

Clean diesel volumes followed the pattern of hybrids, namely, they declined relative to last month, while overall sales increased. However, year-to-date, diesel sales have increased at a rate above that of the overall market compared to last year. Diesels represent over 30 percent of BMW X5, VW Golf, and VW Jetta sales and 20 percent of VW Passat sales.

May 2012 Hybrid Car Sales Numbers

Hybrids sold in the U.S. (May 2012): 37,184
Hybrid Take-Rate: 2.8%

U.S. hybrid sales for May 2012

Model Units vs. last month vs. May 2011 CYTD vs. CYTD 2011
Toyota Prius 13,053 -16.7% 88.5% 72,147 16.0%
Toyota Camry 4,403 -0.1% 643.8% 20,079 302.2%
Prius c 3,693 -7.8% n/a 12,574 n/a
Prius v 3,645 -5.3% n/a 19,140 n/a
Hyundai Sonata 1,869 1.2% 69.9% 8,683 276.4%
Chevy Malibu Hybrid 1,642 5.5% 82,000.0% 4,966 248,200.0%
Lexus CT 200h 1,549 -4.4% 241.2% 8,057 128.4%
Buick LaCrosse 1,202 3.2% n/a 5,513 n/a
Lexus RX400/450h 1,011 26.2% 65.7% 4,383 -14.5%
Kia Optima 810 -3.2% n/a 4,317 n/a
Honda Civic 708 -7.6% 164.2% 3,570 77.2%
Ford Fusion 683 -12.2% -45.6% 4,191 -34.1%
Toy. Highlander 560 1.4% 275.8% 2,555 -6.1%
Honda Insight 512 -30.6% -64.3% 3,547 -65.0%
Linc. MKZ Hybrid 480 20.9% -14.4% 2,175 -65.0%
Honda CR-Z 296 -11.4% -81.0% 1,995 -71.7%
Ford Escape 206 n/a -81.6% 1,147 -75.6%
Buick Regal 174 33.8% n/a 639 n/a
Porsche Cayenne 150 44.2% 31.6% 627 -8.9%
Infiniti M35h 78 239.1% 116.7% 241 209.0%
Porsche Panamera S 73 180.0% n/a 215 n/a
GMC Yukon Hybrid 60 -50.0% -22.1% 235 -35.8%
Chevy Silverado 57 90.0% -36.0% 228 -56.6%
Cad. Escalade 56 -1.8% -37.1% 309 -40.3%
Chevy Tahoe 45 -4.3% -28.6% 215 -30.0%
Lexus GS450h 42 320.0% 133.3% 109 -11.4%
Acura ILX 34 n/a n/a 34 n/a
BMW Hybrid 7 25 -13.8% -34.2% 198 13.1%
Lexus HS 250h 21 -25.0% -90.5% 612 -48.9%
VW Touareg Hybrid 18 50.0 -55.0% 103 -60.5%
Altima 9 -10.0% -98.2% 86 -95.9%
Mercedes S400HV 7 -12.5% -85.7% 64 -59.0%
Lexus LS600hL 6 -25.0% 500.0% 33 -5.7%
GMC Sierra 5 -58.3% -77.3% 49 -53.3%
BMW ActiveHybrid5 (535ih) 1 0.0% n/a 2 n/a%
BMW X6 1 -200.0% -66.7% 2 -91.7%
Mazda Tribute 0 -100.0% -100.0% 90 -49.7%
Mercedes ML450 0 -100.0% n/a 13 1,200.0%
All hybrids 37,184 -6.8% 113.5% 183,143 52.1%
All vehicles 1,330,197 12.6% 25.7% 5,967,571 13.4%

May 2012 Plug-in Electric Car Sales Numbers

Plug-in cars sold in the U.S. (May 2012): 3,378
Plug-in Take-Rate: 0.25%

U.S. plug-in electric sales for May 2012

Model Units vs. last month vs. May 2011 CYTD vs. CYTD 2011
Chevrolet Volt 1,680 14.9% 249.3% 7,057 223.1%
Prius PHV 1,086 -34.3% n/a 3,638 n/a
Nissan LEAF 510 37.8% -55.3% 2,613 20.6%
BMW Active E 11 -63.3% n/a 594 n/a
Mitsubishi i 85 7.6% n/a 300 n/a
Smart ED 0 -100.0% -100.0% 2 -97.7%
Ford Focus Electric 6 n/a n/a 8 n/a
All plug-in cars 3,378 -6.0% 228.9% 14,212 220.2%
All vehicles 1,330,197 12.6% 25.7% 5,967,571 13.4%

May 2012 Clean Diesel Car Sales Numbers

Clean Diesels sold in the U.S. (May 2012): 10,659
Diesel Take-Rate: 0.80%

U.S. clean diesel sales for May 2012

Model Units vs. last month vs. May 2011 CYTD vs. CYTD 2011
VW Jetta 4,644 -4.1% -14.1% 20,507 -7.1%
VW Passat 1,981 -1.4% n/a 9,220 n/a
BMW X5 1,218 82.6% 140.7% 3,774 40.8%
VW Golf 881 12.2% 9.8% 3,936 -2.2%
Mercedes ML320 567 20.6% 118.9% 2,622 106.5%
VW Touareg 350 -2.5% 13.6% 1,927 72.1%
Audi Q7 323 17.5% -5.0% 1,299 -25.3%
Audi A3 236 -35.9% -35.3% 1,612 -1.3%
Mercedes E320 202 -20.5% -25.2% 1,368 19.2%
Mercedes GL320 128 -91.3% -71.3% 3,162 61.3%
Mercedes S350 78 -9.3% n/a 350 n/a
Mercedes R320 44 69.2% -74.4% 160 -53.5%
BMW 335d 7 -93.5% -97.4% 695 -43.5%
Jeep Gr Cherokee 0 n/a -100.0% - -100.0%
All clean diesels 10,659 -9.0% 14.4% 50,632 28.6%
All vehicles 1,330,197 12.6% 25.7% 5,967,571 13.4%


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  • Volume Van

    The competition between Volt & Leaf has changed into Volt & Prius PIP and the market for EVs & Plugins is just the same 3,000 units shared between 3 products. May be if Tesla Model S sells well, then it may pickup.

    Only when Battery and prices go down, we can expect upward trend.

    Along with the decrease in gas prices, sales of Hybrids has gone down, but atleast + / – 3% share is being maintained because of other Prius Models. We may see many models with low sales going down. Prius came in only 11th among cars and 14th overall. Still its sales are up 210% compared to last year (Tsunami crisis). So Prius will still have a bigger increase this year.

    May be when C-Max Hybrid comes in October, Hybrid sales may pickup again.

  • Max Reid

    I dont see much movement among Hybrids, however the bio-fuels will be getting another boost with new fuel – Butanol being manufactured by 1 company. Butanol has 4 carbon atoms and 95% energy content of gasoline and can be run in all gasoline powered vehicles without any modification. This could create a new revolution.

    http://blogs.nature.com/news/2012/05/butanol-hits-the-biofuels-big-time.html

    On other front, Natgas powered vehicles are also increasing

    http://www.ngvglobal.com/vw-golf-2013-to-include-natural-gas-variant-0525

  • Mitch

    Why do you write Clean Diesel? Shouldn’t it be “Diesel”? Hybrids, PHEVs and EVs are as clean or cleaner.

  • Jeff Cobb

    Mitch,

    Clean diesel is a term widely agreed upon, recognized by the U.S. EPA and industry. Following are some links –

    http://www.hybridcars.com/gallery/22066/photo

    http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/

    http://www.clean-diesel.org/index.htm

  • Max Reid

    By Cylinders,

    V4 – 34,989 (94.1%)
    V6 – 1,938 (5.2%)
    V8 – 244 (0.7%)

    Acura ILX and BMW 535ih are new introduction in Hybrids and Ford Focus in EVs for this month and all 3 sold at a very low rate. Lets see next month.

    Take rate of 2.8% is very low, but its 3% if we combine Plugins as well.

  • YegorT

    Yes, average Joe does not look forward and still looks at today’s gas price.
    I guess we can predict the market share based on gas price:
    $2.80 = 2.5%
    $3.60 = 3.0%
    $4.00 = 3.5%

  • MrEnergyCzar

    Nice to see the plug-in field widen. Eventually, when the Volt has true EREV competition besides the Karma, they’ll be moved to the EREV category and pure EV’s will have their own category as well…

    MrEnergyCzar

  • Max Reid

    1 good news is Prius is World’s #3 for 2012-Q1.
    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/29/BUTF1OOUV7.DTL

    Upcoming models in this list are
    Tesla Model S
    Ford Fusion
    Ford C-Max
    Lexus ES-350h

    But on the alternative fuel front, natgas vehicles are making waves with more stations opening and more companies converting their vehicles. Ultimately this may force auto companies to reduce the Hybrid prices.

  • Max Reid
  • Hon

    When GM could sell its e-assist (Partial Hybrid) at 1000′s, why not Honda do the same. Of late Civic-H is selling better than Insight, is it because of the Lithium battery in it or is it improvised technology.

    Can Honda offer Insight also with Lithium and improvised system ramp up sales. Seems Acura ILX also uses Lithium battery and its sales in the coming months will show the way.

  • usbseawolf2000

    What is the take-rate if we look only at the passenger cars?

  • Volume Van

    Take rate among
    Hybrid Cars is
    37,908 / 672,662 * 100 = 5.63 %
    Hybrid Trucks is
    2,182 / 657,535 * 100 = 0.33 %

    http://www.nada.org/NR/rdonlyres/3115B411-A623-4C6E-BC6A-0278EAE158C6/0/201205_NADA_Sales_Recap.pdf

    And of late, car sales have increased a lot and also more Hybrid cars are coming to market. This is encouraging.

  • kinggeorge13

    Had my Leaf since late December. Average 1700 miles per month. I plug in as I walk out of my garage each night and it’s fully charges and messaging my phone before I even get to bed that it’s charged and ready to go. If you average 90 miles per day or less (almost double that if you can simply plug in at work to a regular outlet for your 8 hour day), this car is by far the best car I’ve ever owned. Not a penny spent on gas and at the rate I was spending on gas on my jeep, it makes my monthly car payments easily. When they double the charger power (3.3kw to 6.6kw) in the next year or so, this car will be even better. While I’ll admit cars like the Volt look better (the Leaf body grows on you eventually but yeah, looks a little unusual), I never have to buy gas and I love it!

  • Max Reid

    The # of Hybrid vehicles has increased from

    16 in 2008
    19 in 2009
    20 in 2010
    29 in 2011
    31 in 2012

    Of course, many of them sell at a low level and many of them might be phased, but the remaining few will be selling in higher numbers and boost the overall sales.

    http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/search/light/autos?fuel_type_code=ELEC#filter%5Burl%5D=&filter%5Bparams%5D=autos%255Bfuel_id%255D%3D10004%26autos%255Bmanufacturer_id%255D%3D%26autos%255Bcategory_id%255D%3D%26autos%255Bmodel_years%255D%255B%255D%3D2012

  • surya tjahjadi

    ok lets make manufactur of my country

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  • Tom

    Both the Leaf and the Volt gained volume as compared to April and of course year-to-date compared to last year when the products were being rolled out. Cowboys Snapback

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