Electric Vehicle News

It surely is less striking than that Shock Green.

The Chevrolet Bolt soldiers on into 2019 mostly unchanged, but it is available in a new sleek hue.

Well, there are a few slight changes for 2019 (see the bottom of this post for a rundown) but the new colors are the most noticeable.

Check out the Chevy Bolt EV in the new Slate Gray Metallic here.

Other changes for 2019 include a new smartphone interface that has features for vehicle entry, start, operation, and car sharing. Additionally, the Driver Confidence II Package is now available on the LT trim. The 2019 Model Year Bolt is available now and has been for some time.

And here’s the rundown of changes to the Bolt for 2019:

• Addition of a new smartphone interface for vehicle entry, start and operation exclusively for fleet orders only; late availability
• Addition of Tire Fill Alert
• Newfound availability of Driver Confidence II Package on LT model. Previously, the package was only available on the Premier trim level. The package includes:
• Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• Forward Collision Alert
• Following Distance Indicator
• Front Pedestrian Braking

Let us know what you think of this new color in Comments below. Surely it’s not as eye-catching as this:

Source: GM Authority

Source: Electric Vehicle News

Make your Model 3 even more versatile with a roof rack.

From ordering to unboxing, to up-close views of the install, this roof rack video has it all.

The Yakima roof rack surely adds tons of storage space to the Tesla Model 3. Yes, it will negatively impact energy efficiency. However, on that rare occasion when cargo carrying is of utmost importance, this roof rack might be just what’s needed.

Being the smallest of all the Teslas, the Model 3 sacrifices some cargo space. It’s still got a massive trunk and that frunk, but sometimes more is better. Hence the roof rack, which makes its appearance in this highly detailed video.

It’s lengthy, at 30 minutes of duration, but well worth the watch if you’re considering a roof rack for your Model 3.

The roof rack is priced at $450 through Tesla, but it’s currently “out of stock.” Check it out here.

Video description with time notes:

Installing the new Tesla Model 3 Roof Rack!

Please Like and Subscribe to get updates as we put our Model 3 through its paces in mountain life!

0:00 – 3:34: background on the rack, ordering, delivery time

3:35 – 9:24: unboxing, checking size of key components

9:25 – 27:00: installing the rack on the car (various closeups of key part installs)

27:00 – 30:11: installing the Yakima roof box (includes commentary on spacing considerations)

30:12 – 32:38: final thoughts Follow up video coming soon on consumption!

Source: Electric Vehicle News

When the terrain turns nasty, can the Tesla Model X cope?

Surely, the Model X isn’t designed as a true off-roader. So, what happens on the occasion that it leaves the pavement?

As it turns out, the Model X will likely get you where you need to go. Just make sure to set the air suspension to its highest setting first. A decent set of all-season tires should be installed, too. No summer rubber is designed for an off-road excursion.

We wouldn’t recommend the Model X (nor any other Tesla currently available) if your daily drive takes you off the pavement. But if you venture into the backcountry just every now and then, the Model X should be just fine.

Watch this video to see how the electric SUV handles some tough off-roading.

Video description:

Offroading with our Model X

Milovice, Czech Republic

Source: Electric Vehicle News

Wow, what a year it has been!

December 2018 will mark the 39th month of consecutive year-over-year monthly sales gains for plug-in vehicles.

Each month, InsideEVs tracks all the plug-in EV sales/deliveries for the United States by automaker. The last five consecutive months are now the top five best-selling months of all time. We have no doubt December will make the list, but where will it fit in? Is there a chance it could shoot to the top, or will it fail to surpass September and November numbers?

If history repeats itself (and we believe it will), December will be the strongest month of the year. However, there are many variables involved. Tesla Model 3 deliveries have remained somewhat flat over the last few months. In addition, Chevrolet Bolt and Volt deliveries were way up in November. The same situation was true regarding the surprising escalation of Ford Fusion Energi, BMW 530e, and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid sales in November. Keep in mind that these inconsistencies may not have played out the same for the month of December.

Top Months for U.S. EV Sales to Date (estimated):

1. September 2018 – 44,589
2. November 2018 – 44,148
3. August 2018 – 36,380
4. October 2018 – 34,094
5. July 2018 – 29,514

As of the end of November 2018, an estimated 312,877 plug-in electric vehicles had been sold in the U.S. this year. That only leaves about 32,000 deliveries to push the number past the 350K-mark. Clearly, 350K will be easily achieved, but how much will 2018 sales exceed that threshold?

Check Out: Contributor Josh Bryant’s 2018 yearly sales predictions here

In December 2017, an estimated 26,107 plug-ins were sold in the United States. In August, September, October, and November 2018, we saw well over 100-percent gains from last year’s numbers. Will December be another repeat of this trend? Will we see deliveries pass 52,000? We don’t think so. September and November sales were epic, so it’s going to be tough for December sales to fare substantially better. Nonetheless, 2018 will still go down in the history books as a fantastic year for the segment.

More Info: How about a deep dive into our estimates and methodology?

Tesla likely delivered significantly more Model S and X vehicles in the U.S. in December than it did in November, and Model 3 sales are expected to be record-breaking. Our early estimates indicate that Tesla delivered about 33,000 vehicles in the U.S. last month, 24,500-25,500 of which were Model 3 sedans. We eagerly anticipate Tesla’s quarterly report and hope the automaker surpassed these preliminary numbers in its big end-of-the-month push.

It appears that GM’s November sales push didn’t hold up through December. Inventory is down, and we estimate combined Chevrolet Bolt and Volt deliveries shy of 4,000. All other models — at least as a whole — should see reasonable gains over the previous month.

Based on our initial estimates, we’re looking at over 48,000 electric cars sold in the U.S. for December 2018. Perhaps some surprises will push the number much higher.

Stayed tuned and keep refreshing the pages throughout the coming days as we put the numbers to the dialogue. We will begin reporting EV sales Thursday morning (January 3, 2019) and continue through the end of week. However, if some automakers decide to release numbers on Wednesday, January 2, we’re prepared to begin reporting. In the meantime, below are some questions to consider. If you have a question you think deserves to be on our list, drop it in the comment section, and we may add it to the monthly report card.

What are your estimates? Please share them with us in the comment section below.

Questions entering December:

1. Will Tesla Model 3 U.S. deliveries remain flat, rise marginally, or skyrocket?
2. How much was Tesla able to ramp up U.S. Model S and Model X sales due to the upcoming expiration of the U.S. federal EV tax credit?
3. Did the Toyota Prius Prime make another notable delivery surge last month?
4. What do GM’s official quarterly numbers reveal about Chevrolet Volt and Chevrolet Bolt EV sales in comparison to our estimates?
5. 2018 Nissan LEAF U.S. sales have been on the downturn for the last two months. Can the LEAF close out 2018 with a strong December showing?
6. Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid sales have been impressive all year, but especially over the last three months. Can December deliveries set a new record for the Clarity?
7. Will the Jaguar I-Pace show exponential sales growth again in December?

***InsideEVs’ journalist Wade Malone provided sales estimations and related analysis.

Source: Electric Vehicle News

Larry Dixon of J.D. Power says price increases “quite extraordinary.”

For years, electric vehicles have had relatively low resale value for a variety of reasons. Used electric vehicles are typically priced with the $7500 federal tax credit baked in. The plug-in market is also rapidly improving. First gen electrics such as the Chevy Spark EV and 2015 Nissan LEAF simply cannot compare to the Chevy Bolt EV and the Gen 2 LEAF. Not to mention the sales success of the year: the Tesla Model 3.

But depreciation on these older models appears to be turning around. According to Black Book’s three-year retention gauge, the value of used EVs this year is about 38%. That is a large improvement from from only 21% one year ago.

J.D. Power and Associates has found that the 2015 Nissan Leaf is now retaining 30% of its original sticker price. That is up 23% from the fourth quarter last year. Wholesale prices of the 2015 LEAF are up about 1 percent from where they were last year.

“Now we have prices up for the first time ever.” Says Larry Dixon, senior director of valuation services at J.D. Power. “So from a consumer standpoint, that means they have an appreciating asset.”

Other first gen electric vehicles are seeing similar results. The Fiat 500e is retaining 21%, up from 18% last year. The Chevy Spark EV is retaining 25% this quarter compared to 21% from last year. Spark EV wholesale value is up 10% year over year.

In the case of the Nissan LEAF, Dixon believes prices have reached rock bottom. The value of compact cars are similarly up this year. But he says automakers and some dealers are getting better at understanding the demand for these vehicles.

Due to increased production, it might seem reasonable to assume that used values would continue to drop. However, this is being offset by growing consumer awareness of electric vehicles.

As any EV advocate will tell you: ‘Butts In Seats’ is a key demand generator.

“Based on what we’ve seen this year and starting in the latter half of last year, there’s clearly some consumer demand.”

Source: Automotive News

Source: Electric Vehicle News