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By Parks McCants Nov 13 2017 - 2:20pm

Why Chevy Bolt was the best selling BEV in the U.S. for October 2017

I could sum up this article in two words, affordable value; but that wouldn’t tell the story that is the best selling BEV in the U.S. for the month of October 2017. We take a closer look at Chevy Bolt.
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Monday morning found me stumbling across an article written by Zachary Shahan of cleantechnica.com, more of a comparative recap of electric (BEV, plug-in hybrid) car sales in the United States for the month of October.

Looking to the integrated sales graph, we learn of the growing trend in electric car sales. The popularity of auto electrification is gaining ground in U.S. despite an overabundance of plentiful, cheap gasoline, and attractive factory purchase incentives available on most internal combustion powered cars and light trucks.

While stand alone battery electric car sales numbers remain relatively small, the handwriting is on the wall as consumers opt to electric. At the top of that trend sits the Korean designed Chevy Bolt EV, outselling all plug-in hybrid, battery electric car offerings, (mild gasoline hybrid excluded) for the month of October.

Chevy Bolt kicks Tesla S and Nissan Leaf to the curb in October

I get it! I drove Chevy Bolt in San Francisco last Spring and was impressed by the instant-on torque, descent drive dynamic, and handling prowess that’s Chevy’s compact 4-place hatchback. Chevrolet in effect normalizes the electric car driving experience, while eliminating charge anxiety. Chevy Bolt lives large, looks cool, and is comfortable to drive -- and then there’s the attractive price point.

Cars like Chevy Bolt will take the lead in BEV (battery electric vehicle) car sales due to availability, expansive dealership infrastructure, and attractive price point, long-term warranty packaging. But, as with this car, injecting historically correct car “normal” into EV is key to mainstreaming electric-Chevy Bolt nails it! You’ll find more information on Chevy Bolt here.

*US Electric Car Sales (Oct 2017 vs Oct 2016)

For more monthly EV sales charts and reports, check out: http://evobsession.com/electric-car-sales/
Oct 2017 Oct 2016Y TD 2017Y TD 2016
Audi A3 e-tron
2,781
Chevy Bolt
2,700
Tesla Model S
2,300
Tesla Model X
1,626
Toyota Prius Prime
1,362
Chevy Volt
741
Ford Fusion Energi
686
BMW i3
569
Ford C-Max Energi
213
Nissan Leaf
203
Volkswagen e-Golf
200
Tesla Model 3
115
Ford Focus Electric
33
BMW i8
17
Audi A3 e-tron
Tesla sales are estimates. Source: EV Obsession & CleanTechnica. Get the data Created with Datawrapper

Photo Attributions Parks McCants 2017

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Comments

Uri wrote on November 15, 2017 - 11:42am
I feel like you are guessing purely on your own experience. You may be right, but have nothing to back it up save for a test drive you did. I’d like to see a poll, survey results, or something. Another reason why Bolt sales may be high this month could be because these were all the people who held off until it was available. Then again I’m guessing too.
Parks McCants wrote on November 15, 2017 - 11:55am
Good day Uri. My comment is based on a growing trend in the auto industry as indicated by monthly sales, as well as a year over year trend indicating market growth in the battery electric car segment. This year I've driven: Honda Clarity BEV, Clarity FCV, Hyundai Ionic BEV, Chevy Bolt, and gasoline electric hybrids from Acura,Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Chevrolet, Cadillac and more. I like Chevy Bolt for the price point, standard features and hatchback utility. You will find more information on electric car trends at my second home, greencarjournal.com/parksmccants Note: The "list" portion at the bottom of the article is gleaned from a October 2017 sales chart. My opinion is qualified. Thank you for reading. P. * Next month I'll be reporting on the new generation Nissan Leaf.
Robert G wrote on November 15, 2017 - 11:27pm
Have you driven any of the Tesla’s for comparison?
Parks McCants wrote on November 16, 2017 - 1:29pm
Robert: There is no comparison. The Chevy Bolt while not as long ranged or torque powerful as the Tesla (I haven't driven the 3 series,) comes to market at a lower price point, and is, according to my auto writing associates, superior in fit and finish to the Tesla 3, a like-priced offering if you're willing to wait for one. Both cars are manufactured in America. You could opt for a used Tesla S... Cheers. It's time for us to move past the Tesla mystique. After all, Tesla is a mass produced vehicle with its own set of less than perfect attributes.