2017 was a great year for Plug-ins and the pace continues: Q1 deliveries of this year were 312 400 units worldwide, 59 % higher than for Q1-2017, according to new figures from EV-Volumes, an EV sales database and consultancy.
The numbers include all global BEV and PHEV passenger cars sales, light trucks in USA/Canada, light commercial vehicles in Europe and now also light commercial vehicles in China as a new, emerging category. Plug-in hybrids (+69 %) increased faster than pure EVs (+52 %) again, PHEVs stood for 39 % for Q1-2018.
1076 fuel-cell vehicles were delivered, 34 % more than for Q1 of last year.
China was less impacted by delayed subsidies this year and had a strong start, BYD in particular, with their Qin and Song PHEVs.
The long awaited Tesla Model-3 had over 8000 deliveries during Q1 and made it to place 10 in the global model ranking for March. The best-selling model overall was the new Nissan Leaf with 22 000 deliveries, 44 % more than last year.
The fastest growing markets were China (+113 %), Canada (+114 %), Netherlands (+122 %), South Korea (+138 %), Spain (+118 %, Finland (+144 %) and Australia (+132 %).
Share leaders are Norway (as usual), where 46 % of new car sales were Plug-ins this year. Iceland comes 2nd with 26 % and Sweden 3rd with 7 % for Q1 combined. All larger economies had plug-in shares of 2,5 % or lower.
[source: EV-Volumes.com]
