Electric vehicle sales starting to gain momentum
November 9, 2012Electric vehicle sales for Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf growing
Electric vehicle sales are beginning to gain momentum around the world. More consumers are becoming environmentally conscious and have been looking for ways to mitigate their impact on the environment. Electric vehicles have become a popular method in accomplishing this, but have long appealed only to a niche market. Now, these vehicles are beginning to break out of their niche and reach a wider range of consumers. Both the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, two of the most popular electric vehicles on the market, are examples of this.
Volt sales break previous record in October
The Chevy Volt has broken its own sales record in October, when more than 2,961 units were sold. Chevrolet suggests that interest in the Volt is increasing and the automaker could be on track to selling more than 3,000 units by the end of this month. This is significant growth over the sales figures the company had seen only a few short months ago. Between August and September of this year, sales for the Volt only increased by 20 units.
Leaf sales showing strong growth
The Nissan Leaf is also making significant progress. Though the Leaf boasts of less impressive sales figures than the Volt, the growth that the electric vehicle has seen is still promising. According to Nissan, Leaf sales for October came in at 1,579. This is up from previous months, which saw sales figures ranking in the hundreds. Nissan notes that interest is growing behind the Leaf and could help make November a strong sales month as well.
Electric vehicle sales jump as gas prices spike
Electric vehicle sales typically increase as gas prices increase. This is because consumers are on the lookout for vehicles that will save them money in the long run and help them avoid the costly implications of fossil-fuels. Electric vehicles tend to be more expensive than traditional vehicles, but the money that could be saved on fuel often is enough to sell consumers on the idea of clean transportation.