The ten best-selling cars with plugs

Monday, 14 October 2019

Pure-EVs are a small part of NZ's electrified vehicle fleet - but there's still a lot of choice.

Electric vehicles are taking over, right? After all, everybody is talking about them and sales are skyrocketing, so cars that plug into the wall must be taking over and the internal combustion engine's days are numbered.

Well, not so fast there, because while sales of new EVs are seeing big percentage increases, the actual total is still a tiny portion of new cars sold in New Zealand.

So far this year (up to the end of September) 1,408 new BEVs and 705 new PHEVs have been registered in New Zealand. This compares to 75,848 new passenger vehicle and 38,937 commercial vehicle (the vast majority of which are utes) registrations in the same period. Globally, EV sales made up around 2 per cent, so we are pretty much in line with that.

Cars that plug in are still only a tiny minority of new car sales the world over. But they are rising quickly.

Sure, this is ignoring used import numbers, but new car sales are a far more reliable predictor of EV uptake - after all, even those used EVs were new once.

**READ MORE:

EVs are increasing in popularity, but they are still a long, long way from taking over.

* Lowest price to highest: every Electric Vehicle you can buy in NZ in 2019

* Now an electric Mitsubishi Outlander is much cheaper than a diesel one

* Road test review: Kia Niro EV EX 455

The Nissan Leaf is the biggest selling EV by far, but only as a used import.

* What were the best-selling electrified cars in NZ for 2018?**

While numbers are never generally that interesting, breaking these particular numbers down further shows a few things that actually are interesting.

While the fact that pure EVs are outselling plug-in hybrids at a rate of 2 to 1 is interesting in itself (given that a PHEV's extra petrol-powered range gives them a considerable advantage in New Zealand's elongated, hilly terrain), the really interesting thing is that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV makes up more than half of that segment all by itself with 372 registrations this year.

MG's ZS EV will be the cheapest new EV in New Zealand when it arrives at an introductory price of $49,990 next year.

Without the Outlander PHEV sales would barely exist (the second best-selling PHEV is the Toyota Prius Prime on only 86 units so far this year, closely followed by the Mini Countryman on 83), but then the Outlander proves that there is an appetite for PHEVs by outselling every single BEV on the market save for the Tesla Model 3 (which is currently sitting on 419 sales as of the end of September).

Much has also been made of the 'Tesla killers' failure to even dent Tesla sales globally, but the numbers so far this year don't actually bear that out here in New Zealand - both the Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-pace are priced and sized to take on the Tesla Model X and… all three have sold same roughly the same amount (74, 69 and 72 respectively) so far in 2019.

Sure, you could make the argument that Tesla buyers are all flocking to the Model 3, but that is a shaky one at best, as rarely does the launch of a sub-$100k car suddenly take sales from the larger, more expensive models in the range. Granted, yes, Tesla is different in this regard, but it is still not likely that buyers of $150k to $190k SUV are going to sprint wholesale to a cheaper sedan.

Admittedly though, Tesla did drop its cheapest Model S and Model X variants (see the 'priced from' in the video above) when it landed the Model 3 here, which will no doubt make some difference, but sales of both have remained fairly steady this year and the Model X even had its best month since March in September as well.

Which leads us to the hero of the segment so far this year - or at least, this month - the Tesla Model 3.

A massive (for the segment) 359 registrations in September leap-frogged it to the top of the EV sales charts for the year and also into the top ten best-selling passenger cars overall for the month - a first for an EV.

Will this continue? Again, Tesla is a different beast when it comes to things like this, but it is unlikely - like all eagerly-awaited new models, the Model 3 will likely have a huge spike, followed by a sudden drop off as pent-up demand is satisfied and reality settles back in.

Will it continue to sell strongly in the segment? Almost certainly, but not at its current record-breaking levels.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is pretty much the only thing keeping the plug-in hybrid alive in New Zealand. And it outsells most BEVs too.

In terms of an interesting variety of cars on our roads, we hope we are wrong, but we doubt it. You would imagine it should easily keep tallying up sales similar to the slightly more expensive Hyundai Kona Electric, but will the Tesla's badge-cred elevate it? Or will the peace of mind of a stable company behind the Hyundai be more appealing to buyers?

And to finish, here's some interesting numbers that you can take as you will: if you combine all of Tesla's sales number for 2019 so far you get a total of 540 (419 for Model 3, 72 for Model X and 49 for Model S). All three Tesla models share powertrain technology and platforms, and if you combine the three models from the wider Hyundai Group that also share variations of powertrains and platforms - the Hyundai Kona Electric (323), the Hyundai Ioniq (125) and the Kia Niro EV (66) - you get a total of 514. That's quite close.

So there you go; the state of new EVs in New Zealand as of this moment. Let the arguments begin.

Before the Tesla Model 3 had its big month, the Hyundai Kona Electric was NZ's biggest selling new EV in 2019.

Here are the ten best-selling cars with plugs so far in 2019.

Tesla Model 3 - 419

The current king of the EV segment, the Model 3 also became the first ever EV to punch its way into the top ten passenger cars for September 2019.

Hyundai's second best selling EV, the Ioniq also offers hybrid and PHEV options.

In fact, if you take out a big chunk of rental deliveries from Toyota, the Model 3 was the top selling private passenger car (that is; not counting utes) for the month. While utes and SUVs still dominate the market, this is still an impressive achievement even against declining sales in the traditional passenger car segment.

Just wait until that Model Y small SUV lands then…

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV - 372

Electricity by stealth - VW's e-Golf is pretty much just like the ordinary Golf. Good, that is.

Without the Outlander PHEV sales would be almost non-existent.

The Outlander PHEV has two very strong selling points that are no-doubt elevating it beyond every other PHEV and most BEVs as well - it is an SUV and it is priced at pretty much the same price as a petrol or diesel model.

Mitsubishi has been doing some savagely good deals on the Outlander PHEV and with its recently increased all-electric range of a real world 30km or so (Mitsubishi claim a lab-tested range of 55km) being more than the average daily commute, the Outlander is an appealing package.

Sorry Prius Prime, you may be the best value PHEV in the NZ market, but you're not an SUV...

Hyundai Kona Electric - 323

Hyundai's small electric SUV was - until the Tesla Model 3's record-setting month - the undisputed sales leader in new EVs in New Zealand.

Front wheels for petrol, rear wheels for fun - the Countryman pumps its electric torque through the rears only.

Interestingly the Tesla's big month had no adverse effect on the Kona's sales figures - in fact it actually had its highest monthly sales of 2019 with 56 sold.

Again, being a small SUV is a huge advantage for the Kona, as can be seen when you compare its sales with the other Hyundai EV that makes this list, the Ioniq, which has sold less than half the Kona's numbers so far this year.

It looks like an ordinary SUV - the e-tron blends in.

Hyundai Ioniq - 125

Hyundai's first EV still sells decently within the segment, but as mentioned, is still healthily outsold by its Kona sibling.

Tesla dropped the cheapest Model X, but it is still selling in similar numbers.

Still, the Ioniq is unique in that it also offers the choice of a straight hybrid and a PHEV version, both of which actually sell in significantly smaller numbers than the pure-electric version (41 for the hybrid and 49 for the PHEV so far this year).

This is arguably more a reflection of the dwindling demand for traditional passenger cars than anything particularly against the Ioniq in any of its forms though.

The Jaguar I-Pace is arguably the best steer in the EV segment.

Volkswagen e-Golf - 99

Volkswagen has taken a distinctly stealthy approach to its only all-electric offering in New Zealand, no doubt quietly biding its time until the recently revealed ID.3 all-new ground-up EV design.

The e-Golf's 220km real world range is limited compared to that Tesla (that starts at $5,500 more that the VW), but it's biggest advantage is that it is still essentially a Golf to look at, but more importantly, it is also a Golf to drive.

Sure, it is noticeably heavier, but it still retains the traditionally engaging handling the the golf is revered for.

Toyota Prius Prime - 86

Unarguably the single best value PHEV in New Zealand (yes, even more so than the Outlander), the Prius Prime's price tag of just $46,990 brings Lexus-like levels of comfort and an absolute truck load of technology with it. Also its approximate electric-only range of 63km outpaces the popular Mitsubishi.

But it's not an SUV…

Mini Cooper S E Countryman - 83

Mini's baby SUV is a surprising blend of frugality and fun, with the hybrid drivetrain essentially turning it into a RWD Mini when in pure EV mode - the electric motor rives the rear axle, while the petrol gets dibs on the front axle.

It is frugal and it is fun and we have thoroughly enjoyed our long-term one.

Audi e-tron - 74

Audi's surprisingly conventional-looking e-tron SUV had a rough start to its life, with a recall dropping on it before it even launched in new Zealand, but it is selling better than both its direct rivals in price, size and concept - the Tesla Model X and the Jaguar I-pace. Admittedly, that is 'only just better', but it is still ahead.

And that whole 'surprisingly conventional' thing is completely on purpose and may just be a master-stroke - Audi is betting on buyers being past the whole 'it needs to look like an EV' (ie; weird) thing and that tastes are now more for the conventional. Conventional SUVs, that is.

Tesla Model X - 72

While Tesla's Model X is still selling strongly for a medium/large $150k-plus SUV, it has been effortlessly displaced by the Model 3 as the company's most popular model here, just as it displaced the Model S sedan in terms of the public's Tesla-love.

For the first time ever it also has direct competition in the medium/large SUV EV arena in the form of the Audi above, the Jaguar below, as well as the Mercedes-Benz EQC that is landing very soon.

Jaguar I-Pace - 69

Outside of the BMW i3, the I-Pace is probably the most fun thing to throw down a winding road in the EV world at the moment, although that Model 3 also makes a strong argument for itself there too.

But it also has practicality (despite its swooping roofline) and - surprise, surprise - actual off-road ability on its side. Yep, really, the I-Pace can be raised up surprisingly high when equipped with air suspension, has a completely flat underside and a wading depth of 500mm.