Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf Sales Expected to Go Up in 2013

The plug-in electric vehicle, or PEV market, is a growing one for today’s generation of car buyers.  As gas prices go up and environmental concerns become more of an issue for motorists, people are eschewing flash and dash for more economical cars, and in some cases, “green” cars that don’t pose a risk to the environment.  PEV sales aren’t anywhere near those of midsize sedans, but are nonetheless growing, thanks to the success of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

For the month of February, Volt sales were up almost 60 percent year-over-year, rising from 1,023 in February 2012 to 1,626 last month.  Nissan’s figures weren’t too impressive in comparison, at 653 for February 2013, but that was nonetheless an increase of 37 percent over February 2012’s 478 units sold for the Nissan Leaf.  And we can expect Nissan to continue improving in terms of PEV sales, as Leaf production has ramped up at the Japanese manufacturer’s U.S. plant in Smyrna, Tenn.  Another thing that could work in the Leaf’s favor is pricing, as the car now sells at an MSRP of $28,800.

Chevy Volt sales are also expected to improve, as GM continues to market its flagship plug-in electronic heavily amid the above mentioned fuel price and environmental concerns.  Still, the Volt commands a hefty price tag in comparison to the Leaf – at $39,145, this car still doesn’t come cheap, especially if you compare it to midsize sedans that cost about $15,000 less on average.  But the improvement is quite easy to see – in 2011, Chevy sold only 7,671 Volts, a number that increased by more than triple to 23,461 in 2012.