As far as electric cars go, Tesla is a favorite not only of the EV Obsession and CleanTechnica crowd. It appears that the EV has caught the wave to the top of the globe as a popular favorite. JATO reports that Tesla is also now the highest selling brand in the EV market (between January and September of 2017). Of course, it is also the only major brand that sells only 100% electric vehicles.
The latest analysis by JATO Dynamics finds 2017 represents a turning point in the adoption of electric cars, with sales in key regions increasing significantly. The Economist agrees, calls 2018 the year of the EV tipping point.
Many electric car sales have been happening in China. During that period, China led the way in the adoption of electric vehicles, with by far the highest volume sold January to September. “Tesla was the most popular electric vehicle brand in key markets, while BAIC’s EC was the most popular model.”
As severe air pollution problems exist in China, one of the best hopes is a swift transition to EVs. “China’s ever-expanding car market is crucial to the future of the electric vehicle. Policymakers in the country are attempting to balance its rocketing demand for cars with the nation’s severe pollution problem.”
The JATO press continues: “The Government has introduced policies to push EVs, such as car purchase restrictions in large cities and subsidies for domestically produced EVs and PHEVs. In a further development, global manufacturers are now entering the Chinese market, as fully electric vehicles will earn more credits than plug-in hybrids under the country’s new Carbon Credit Program, which will come into effect in 2019. As a result of this focus, Chinese manufacturers have prioritized the development and innovation of domestically produced electric vehicles.
“Consequently, China is now the biggest market in terms of volume, with 227,000 EVs sold through September. China has quickly taken the top spot as the world’s biggest EV market, rapidly outselling other more advanced markets such as the US and Europe. In comparison, it took decades for the country to outsell them on traditional internal combustion engines.
“In turn, China’s focus on producing electric vehicles to solve its domestic emissions problem means it has led the way in the development of the technology. The Chinese automotive industry’s resulting leadership in the sector means the nation now has a chance to conquer global markets and rival its western counterparts. This is hugely significant, as internal combustion engines produced by China-based manufacturers have traditionally struggled to compete against western brands that have more experience and heritage in the sector. As a result, six of the top ten electric vehicle brands in key automotive markets through September 2017 are based in China. If the Chinese industry is able to produce EVs that are attractive to global consumers and are appropriately priced, the country’s car industry could certainly increase its share of the global market.”
“Key regions” analyzed for the report included: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, and the USA.
There is no doubt that Tesla continues to dominate the minds of many interested EV buyers and then some. Check out some of our in-depth report on what EV owners desires and demands are.
And … imagine yourself inside the Model 3.
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Plenty of folks not interested in BEV’s know about Tesla…
… but could that be because even in the EV community a Tesla would be the car we’d buy if money wasn’t an option? Or because they are just better than comparable ICEv’s?
Good questions…