Plug-In Electric Car Sales Continue Rise In 2014: 100,000-Plus Last Year

Green Car Reports ^ | January 5, 2015 | John Voelcker

[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.

[mrsmith]

Have e-car fans ever proposed a way for them to pay their share of road costs? I can’t believe EVERY e-car fan is an irresponsible parasite LOL!
Freeper owners certainly shouldn’t be.

Specifically has the idea of a separate meter for the charging station which would add “x” per kw-hr been discussed?

[LogicDesigner]

“Again my main point is, why is it better to burn oil in a power plant than burning it in a EV? Burning natural gas creates as much CO2 as burning oil.”

We don't burn oil in this country to make electricity, unless you are talking about the 1% that is backup diesel generation. Regarding natural gas, it produces around 25% less CO2 than gasoline. Nuclear, hydro, and renewables, which together make up 32% of electricity generation, produce 100% less CO2.

“Finally, gasoline powered powered cars are much more economical than EV’s are at this time.”

Often people take the absolute cheapest econobox on the market and compare it to an electric vehicle. I don't think that is fair considering the peppy acceleration that most EVs have.

[Baynative]

Even where electricity is generated by wind or solar it will most often require power from coal fired plants to transport the energy. Power doesn't just flow through the cables like water. It takes energy to push massive voltages.

That aside:
We were coming home in the drizzling rain a few nights ago and encountered a long line of cars backed up through a school zone. The speed limit is reduced to 20mph when children are present, but it was 5:30 PM.

When we finally got passed the school zone the traffic began to break apart as people found gaps in the opposing lane of traffic and passed the car blocking the flow. When we finally got to the front of the queue what we found to have been holding everyone to 19 MPH was a Nissan leaf creeping along with wipers barely going and lights looking dim. He was over in the bike lane as much he felt safe because he probably couldn't see well.

People blasted by laying on their horns and blinking their lights. I felt a bit sorry for the guy. But, I sure his frustration at the moment was supplanted by smug arrogance once he got to the co-op to sip a latte and tell his story of his encounter with Fox news haters while working to save the earth.

I grew up in the high sierras and we were taught to always keep our tank topped off so if we encountered trouble we would be able to run the car and keep warm with lights on for safety until help arrived. For that reason alone, it will be along time before I consider one of these latest fads in personal travel. But for the folks content to live in urban centers; GOD Bless their little hearts. At least they feel good when they lay their heads on their pillows.

Addendum: We have a neighbor with a Leaf. She was not happy to learn that all those charging stations at retail centers and city facilities require charge cards to operate. She thought driving her car would be absolutely free after purchase.

[Morpheus2009]

Put in mind that all these cars are insanely expensive anyways. Only two others are, but either way, I think we’re grasping for straws when the real issue is taking power electric cars out of the luxury and into less expensive domains, I can see it happening, I just want the process of making cars cheaper speed up.

[LogicDesigner]

“Have e-car fans ever proposed a way for them to pay their share of road costs? I can’t believe EVERY e-car fan is an irresponsible parasite LOL! Freeper owners certainly shouldn’t be. Specifically has the idea of a separate meter for the charging station which would add ‘x’ per kw-hr been discussed?”

An extra meter in your garage is pretty expensive. I know that PG&E in California offers an electricity plan to EV owners where you have a separate meter for your EV, but most people do not use it because of the added expense. I think a better solution would be to read the odometer whenever you get your car inspected, calculate the miles driven since last inspection, and tax you accordingly. Cars that drive both on electricity and gasoline, like the Chevy Volt, have a way that you can read specifically how many electric miles have been driven.

[SoFloFreeper]

I have no objection to people buying an electric car. What I object to is someone who buys a leaf getting me, the taxpayer, to pay for $7,500 of that purchase:

Not only does that subsidy take from the pocket of the taxpayer, it also gives an unfair advantage to Nissan.

Imagine you were a small manufacturer or inventor trying to create a vehicle or product EVEN BETTER than the Leaf. The federal government is basically enabling your competition--Nissan--and helping it put YOU out of business.

This is exactly what happened when the feds bailed out the failing GM/Chrysler, etc.

Ford, Toyota and other companies had managed their resources well and did not want bail out monies. But the people who worked for Ford and Toyota ended up PAYING for the bailout of their competition.

If you owned a pizza store and the pizza store three blocks down was failing, would you want the government took a few hundred of your tax dollars to keep your competitor afloat, what would you say?

Finally, I notice there are state incentives in California to buy a Leaf. I would put that into the category of a state's prerogative. If the citizenry of the state has no problem paying for that kind of thing, then let 'em. The federal involvement is what I oppose. Such crony capitalism crushes competition and steals from the taxpayer.

[mrsmith]

So: no.

Well, since e-cars only avoid about $300/yr of gas taxes perhaps a semi-annual tax could be practical.
http://evsroll.com/Federal_Gas_Taxes.html

Must say I thought the cost would be higher!

[ziravan]

The EV cars aren’t necessarily lighter. I bought a Ford Fusion Energi Hybrid/PHEV. The Energi weighs in at 3913 lbs, curb weight vs 3431 lb curb weight for a regular fusion and 3720 for a hybrid.

The batteries weigh quite a bit. The fusion is almost 500 lbs heavier than a non fuel battery version.

The Ford CMax is comparable with the EV curb weight being 3859 and hybrid being 3607.

The volt is 3786 curb weight.

The first 20 mile is a charge that costs about $0.60, still a bargain at today’s gas prices, and a phenomenal bargain when gas is twice current prices. My local power plant, just down the road, is coal-fired. I couldn’t care less. It’s cheaper.

And the EV version of the Fusion is cheaper, too. It cost $4880 more than hybrid alone, but that comes with $6507 in government money: $4007 federal tax CREDIT on my 204 taxes, and a $2500 rebate check from the Texas TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality).

I don’t agree with those tax policies, but I’m danged sure going to make my tax footprint as small as legally possible. I don’t care how big my environmental footprint is: coal is cheaper.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“Plug-In Electric Car Sales Continue Rise In 2014: 100,000-Plus Last Year”

“Coal Car Sales Continue Rise In 2014: 100,000-Plus Last Year”

Fixed it!

[entropy12]

My “econobox” has
4 speed automatic transmission
power steering
power brakes
cruise control
power windows
7 speaker Pioneer sound
CD player
AM-FM radio
moon roof
fog lamps
aluminum wheels
tinted glass all around
heated seats

Best of all it is a gas to drive, excellent acceleration.

[ziravan]

“I think a better solution would be to read the odometer whenever you get your car inspected, calculate the miles driven since last inspection, and tax you accordingly. “

The hell you say. It’s not the governments business how much I drive.

Liberals have been pushing for this kind of tax for a long while because it would be a phenomenal new corporate tax. What kinds of vehicles are on the roads the longest?

Plus, any said tax would be in addition to, and not in place of gas taxes. That’s the best of both worlds, we can be “fair” in the socialist sense of the word, AND we can encourage less gas use. It’s a twofer.

Threefer actually, because you can bet that a mileage tax would be progressive, with higher rates the more miles you drive. We wouldn’t want to punish the poor with a mileage tax, don’t you know. Besides, the rich can easily afford to pay more, and only rich people can afford long commutes to the suburbs.

No, thank you.

[LogicDesigner]

“Not only does that subsidy take from the pocket of the taxpayer, it also gives an unfair advantage to Nissan.”

All the big automakers (Toyota, Ford, Nissan, GM, Chrysler-Fiat, Honda) have cars that qualify for the federal tax credit.

“This is exactly what happened when the feds bailed out the failing GM/Chrysler, etc.”

I can't say that I'm a fan of the bailout, either. Mostly because the big difference between a bailout and bankruptcy was that the unions got bailed out. Though I like the fact that the new GM ended up domestically owned, unlike the way Chrysler ended up. Maybe there would have been a way to do that through the bankruptcy courts, but I'm not sure.

“Finally, I notice there are state incentives in California to buy a Leaf. I would put that into the category of a state's prerogative. If the citizenry of the state has no problem paying for that kind of thing, then let ‘em. The federal involvement is what I oppose. Such crony capitalism crushes competition and steals from the taxpayer.”

Many conservatives make the mistake of assigning the $7,500 tax credit to democrats or some sort of cronyism. The truth is that the tax credit was signed into law by none other than George W. Bush. He was the one who said in his State of the Union address, “America is addicted to oil,” and, “We will increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars, and in pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen.”

Like you said, the citizenry should decide. I would bet that if you went beyond the bounds of Free Republic, a poll of Americans would show support of subsidies to help the adoption of electric cars. However, you won't find many Republican politicians in that camp these days, what with the avalanche of Koch campaign money being spread around.

Many people oppose the rebate on principle, but I think it serves a public interest. Besides reducing urban pollution, it would have huge geopolitical benefits if the United States and Europe transitioned to EVs. No more oil wars and our biggest national rivals would be in the poorhouse.

[ziravan]

The tax credit was part of the 2009 porkulus package. It might have been an idea germinated by Pres. Bush, I don’t recall, but he didn’t enact it.

http://www.pluginamerica.org/incentives

“$2,500 to $7,500 tax credit, depending on size of battery (4 kWh to 16 kWh), for electric-drive vehicles (EVs and PHEVs) sold after December 31, 2008. This is the best and biggest new incentive brought on by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus bill), and applies to at least 200,000 units per vehicle manufacturer before it begins phasing out.”

[cyclotic]

Some guy down the street just traded his Leaf for a Volt to go along with the other Volt he already has. Glad I can help make his car payments. It just seems dumb to have to plug your car in every night like a Little Tykes Jeep.

[ziravan]

I disagree with the tax credit.

But. Put into perspective, you’re also paying for more than a few people to buy houses (interest deductions), and to subsidize almost every child in America.

I disagree with those tax devices as well. I also claim them. I’m all for paying as little in taxes as legally allowed.

Such is the nature of the tax code.

[Morpheus2009]

The majority of our oil no longer is Middle Eastern Canada and Latin America give us the majority now. We do work hard for places that others are interested in, such as the Russians and Chinese. Both are very interested in the Middle East. Still a good idea, to reduce energy wasted through. Even a hybrid cuts wasted fuel from issues such as traffic jams.

[LogicDesigner]

“The tax credit was part of the 2009 porkulus package. It might have been an idea germinated by Pres. Bush, I don’t recall, but he didn’t enact it.”

The 2009 stimulus bill that you referenced merely expanded the existing tax credit. The one Bush signed into law applied to the first 200,000 vehicles produced; the one Obama signed into law changed it to apply to the first 200,000 vehicles produced per manufacturer. This meant that the first two or three manufacturers to bring EVs to market could not hog all the tax credits. Instead, it put all manufacturers on an even playing field.

[SoFloFreeper]

conservatives make the mistake of assigning the $7,500 tax credit to democrats or some sort of cronyism. The truth is that the tax credit was signed into law by none other than George W. Bush.

I don't care about the source of the subsidy. It should end.

And as far as the "citizenry" deciding, I am all for it--as long as it remains Constitutional. Constitutionally, this matter belongs to the states. The feds have nothing to do with it.

Cheers.

[ziravan]

http://www.hybridcars.com/federal-incentives/

“They were nice while they lasted, but the tax credits available to hybrid gas-electric cars bit the dust on Dec. 31, 2010. The incentives that President George Bush signed into law, as part of The Energy Policy Act of 2005, had granted up to $3,400 as a tax credit for the most efficient hybrid cars—and $4,000 for a compressed natural gas vehicle. They are gone, with little prospects for returning.

Instead, legislators have jumped to the next technology breakthrough: tax credits for plug-in hybrids and electric cars. A combination of local and national credits—up to $7,500 at the federal level, plus a $2,000 credit for charging equipment installation, plus state-based incentives (of $5,000 in California)— represent so far the largest bundle of incentives ever for private purchasers of green electric-drive vehicles.”

Pres Bush signed a similar law for hybrids, now expired. The Stimulus didn’t continue an EV credit, but replaced the hybrid credit signed by Pres. Bush.

So. I’ll concede that the original idea was first enacted by Pres. Bush in 2005. The current version is identical in form, it just applies to EVs instead of hybrids, at a rate of 200,000 models per manufacturer instead of 60k.

All manufacturers combined sold 100,000 last year (per article starting this thread), and by all accounts, it’s a banner year. No manufacturer is near their 200,000 phase out.

[LogicDesigner]

“And as far as the “citizenry” deciding, I am all for it—as long as it remains Constitutional. Constitutionally, this matter belongs to the states. The feds have nothing to do with it.”

Of all the things that would be covered by the Constitution's “interstate commerce” clause, this would be it.