Nissan Leaf Beats Chevy Volt In Sales Again

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First, let’s put in some context — I always like to start with that. The Chevy Volt has seen about 10,000 more lifetime US sales than the NIssan Leaf. However, after Nissan moved Leaf manufacturing to the US (in March), the price of the US Leaf dropped several thousand dollars. The result has been a surge in sales this year.

Image Credit: Chevy Volt & Nissan Leaf charging pchow98 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Image Credit: Chevy Volt & Nissan Leaf charging pchow98 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Since US manufacturing started, Leaf sales have been up 332.5% compared to the same period last year. In May 2013, sales were 319.2% higher than in May 2012, hitting 2,138 units.

Meanwhile, the Chevy Volt, which has seen pretty steady sales for a long time, saw 1,607 of its spawn go off the lots in May 2013. As a whole, Chevy Volt sales are up a little bit, 1.4%, in 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.

In total for 2013, the Leaf is now about 500 unites above the Volt. The Leaf is up to 7,614 sales while the Volt is up to 7,157 sales.


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Zachary Shahan

Zach is tryin' to help society help itself one word at a time. He spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as its director, chief editor, and CEO. Zach is recognized globally as an electric vehicle, solar energy, and energy storage expert. He has presented about cleantech at conferences in India, the UAE, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada, and Curaçao. Zach has long-term investments in Tesla [TSLA], NIO [NIO], Xpeng [XPEV], Ford [F], ChargePoint [CHPT], Amazon [AMZN], Piedmont Lithium [PLL], Lithium Americas [LAC], Albemarle Corporation [ALB], Nouveau Monde Graphite [NMGRF], Talon Metals [TLOFF], Arclight Clean Transition Corp [ACTC], and Starbucks [SBUX]. But he does not offer (explicitly or implicitly) investment advice of any sort.

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15 thoughts on “Nissan Leaf Beats Chevy Volt In Sales Again

  • Now GM gives $4,000 discount to Volt, so the competition is heating up.
    After all the price of battery also has gone down in the recent years.
    Ideally in June, sales of many EVs should go up.

  • Good for the Leaf!

    • That’s a great blog, Amy. Really nicely done.

      If you’re interested you might contact Zach and publish some of your experience here.

    • Entertaining read – I’d suggest taking Zach up on his offer. He’d probably even let you link your blog in there a few times and get you a bunch of traffic…

      • Thanks, all ~ article submitted!

  • The volt makes no sense, as an electric car, its range is way too short, as a hybrid, its a bad design, with little horse power. I would rather have that weight as extra batteries and increased range.

    • If we all stood in your shoes and put on blinders, yes, the Volt would make no sense.

      But for someone who has a daily RT commute of less than 40 miles but needs the ability to drive a long distance from time to time the Volt could be a perfect fit.

      (Buy a LEAF. Get a lot more range at a lower cost.)

      • Don’t appreciate the blinders bit, but the EV is not really the best vehicle for long trips. That’s a given. But, for the daily commute, its the perfect car. On those times when a long-range vehicle is needed, use an alternate car, or rent one. Someday the infrastructure and battery technology may make this a mute point. But, driving a 100% electric car, I know my dollars aren’t going into the pockets of some country in the middle-east. I know whatever emissions are produced from the power source are less than what a pure-gas car would produce, and it reduces our country’s dependence on oil. Its a win-win no matter how you look at it, blinders or no.

        • Put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a normal day short commute but needs to drive further once or twice a week. They can do most of their driving with electricity and then drive a very efficient liquid fuel car on the long trips.

          It’s, it’s two cars in one!!

          Having to own a second car or rent one every weekend/whatever can be a pain. The Volt fills the needs of some.

          Others can save some money and get a Prius PHEV if they have even shorter normal routines.

          And some can afford a Tesla S.

          Unfortunately, for some of us the EV we need has yet to be marketed.

  • One possible boost for the Volt; could it be marketed also as a dedicated EV, placing more batteries where the engine would go or, in recognition of the ascendance of battery technology, made to be ‘converted’ at a later date?

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