Posted on 01/10/2015 9:32:02 AM PST by LogicDesigner
Plug-in electric car sales for calendar year 2014 rose above the 100,000 level, the third annual increase in full-year sales in the U.S. since modern electric cars first went on sale in December 2010.
The highest-selling electric car in the world, the Nissan Leaf, set a new U.S. record for plug-in sales of a single vehicle in one year, logging 30,200 deliveries during 2014.
That compares to a 2013 total of 22,610, and less than 10,000 units in each of its first two years on sale.
The balance of 70,000-plus was made up of sales of no fewer than 20 other cars with plugs.
(We also note that Hyundai leased 54 of its hydrogen-powered Tucson Fuel Cell crossover utility vehicles. Honda delivered 2 FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicles as well this year, against 10 leased in 2013.)
The bulk of them, however, remain quite low-volume, selling 250 or fewer units per month.
Only a small number of plug-in electric cars routinely racks up U.S. sales of 1,000 or more units a month.
The others include the Chevrolet Volt and the Tesla Model S. More recently, the BMW i3 sales hit that level for three months last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at greencarreports.com ...
Indeed it is.
“Have you had it long enough to assess maintenance costs/hassles? I have a Passat (gas engine) and VW seems to be on the pricey side as far as maintenance goes.”
For the dealer to change a portion of the transmission fluid (4.5 liters)and the filter is $800. I did it myself for about $90. The oil change is $95 at the dealer, but $50 if you do it yourself. The car is difficult to maintain by design, but I have every tool and a fine garage. I had the software upgrades while it was under warranty.
Incidentally, there’s a dye pack in the filter line and a color sensor in case you use non-taxed diesel. If you do the dealer is required by law to report it. If they fail to report both you and the dealer are fined $10,000. (I didn’t do this, but the salesman warned me anyway.)
The Jetta TDI, now Golf TDI, I think, is the only diesel car not requiring bluetech. (Urea additive. When I looked at it the cost was $19/gallon, which made the mileage gains from most diesel cars useless.)
Incidentally, there’s a dye pack in the filter line and a color sensor in case you use non-taxed diesel. If you do the dealer is required by law to report it. If they fail to report both you and the dealer are fined $10,000. (I didn’t do this, but the salesman warned me anyway.)
If you made your own fuel, you are required to pay za tax!
Ve vill report you to za IRS!
BTW I an a VW nut.
Porsche was a genius.
Have you seen the Phaeton? Holy Moly...
Gimme an old Sirocco
Apart from oil changes, you don’t have maintenance worries on an EV.
No expensive parts to replace to buy and that lithium-ion battery can last you nearly as long as you own the car.
And with Murphy’s Law, you can expect EV technology to get better and cheaper as more of these cars enter mass market production.
Porsche invented the EV in like the 1900s.
Regenerative braking and the works.
Opps Porsche invented the Hybrid in the early 1900s.
Given the misdirection of funds, condition of infrastructure, and potential for redirection, we won't have the solar, wind, natural gas based and adequately broadcast grid by the time today's gods of EPA expect it to be needed.
If natural gas is one of the legs of clean electricity, why not use it for that purpose and for vehicles as well while using electricity itself for the purposes it is already serving?
If coal is today's vilan, why not actually help clean it up instead of regulating it out of business? (I know there has been work on clean coal going on for years now and government could subsidize that as well as dwind farms.
How will you placate the tree huggers over toasted or eviscerated birds, destroyed turtle habitat, lost squirrels and lizards?
Please understand that I think electric powered vehicles are extremely good a putting power to the ground, they'd be a hoot to drive. But, there are too many "what ifs" and "thou shalts" involved in your projections.
Nothing delivers torque and power better, now that we have motors using rare earth magnets.
Still, the limitations are daunting.
I feel like we must have read two different things. Are you referring to the Green Car Reports article that I linked you to or the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study that it is based on?
I don't think the study is using the fluffy numbers that you seem to be suggesting.
Thanks for info. Much appreciated.
The minimal cost of maintenance is very appealing. Limited range makes EVs no go for me, though.
Currently nothing! All you petrol buyers are footing the bills.
Hey, you say that like it's a bad thing! ;-) (says the geek with 3 engineering degrees)
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