Nissan Leaf Sales Expected To Fall Steeply This Summer
Like the leaves in autumn, sales of the Nissan Leaf are falling amid a flurry of changes coming to the EV this summer.
Nissan expects to see sales of its EV to steeply drop off in July, when the Georgia’s $5,000 tax credit rides off into the sunset, Automotive News reports. There’s also an oncoming wave of Leafs whose leases are ending, bringing diminished resale values with it. The automaker is fighting back with a $5,000 credit toward buying the cars when said leases expire, though Nissan senior vice president for U.S. sales Fred Diaz says he doesn’t expect the program “to completely turn things around.”
Another issue affecting sales is the ongoing low fuel prices at the pump: at a national average of $2.750 per AAA — around a dollar below what it was at this time in 2014 — consumers are turning towards trucks and SUVs, leaving more efficient offerings like the Leaf and Toyota Prius on the table. While sales of the EV are down 26 percent during the first five months of this year, Nissan’s truck sales rose 17 percent over the same period.
Though Diaz acknowledges fuel prices are hurting Leaf sales, he says they won’t compare to the end of Georgia’s tax credit, which has helped make the EV a huge hit for Nissan in the state. Diaz also admits he nor his company have an idea as to how severe said decline would be once it began.
Despite falling sales, however, Nissan plans to mine for sales gold elsewhere, such as with its “No Charge to Charge” program introduced in Denver in June. The program allows new Leaf owners to charge their cars for free at public fast-charge stations during the first two years of ownership, as is already in place in 16 markets thus far.
There’s also word the automaker will increase the range of the Leaf from 84 miles to 105 miles with a new battery pack for the 2016 model. Said model is due in showrooms around the end of summer or the start of fall.
[Photo credit: Nissan]
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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"around a dollar below what it was at this time in 2014 — consumers are turning towards trucks and SUVs" How short memories we have. It was only a few days before New Year 2015 and I was filling up near Chico, CA when a TV crew came and asked how i was coping with the high gas prices. When I said "doesn't bother me much, still cheaper per gallon than Starbucks coffee" they quickly ran to the next pump where the old lady had a sob story about not being able to see her grand-kids as much. There's no way on Earth it will go back up to those price points in the 5 year loan period of a new SUV is there.
Draw your own conclusions... 2012 NISSAN LEAF SV 05/12/15 ORLANDO Lease $8,900 8,122 Above RED EL A Yes 05/21/15 MISS Lease $8,300 10,709 Avg BLUE EL A Yes 06/02/15 ORLANDO Lease $9,500 11,064 Above WHITE EL A Yes 05/19/15 ORLANDO Lease $7,800 25,915 Avg WHITE EL A Yes 2012 NISSAN VERSA HATCHBACK 'S' 06/02/15 ORLANDO Lease $9,000 8,128 Avg RED ALER 4G O Yes 06/02/15 GEORGIA Lease $10,300 16,043 Above WHITE 4G A Yes 05/29/15 ATLANTA Regular $10,700 17,368 Above WHITE 4G A Yes 05/26/15 ORLANDO Lease $10,000 17,673 Above BLACK 4G O Yes 06/03/15 ORLANDO Lease $10,100 17,911 Above BLUE 4G A Yes 05/28/15 PALM BCH Lease $10,000 18,309 Above FRESH PO 4G A Yes 06/03/15 ORLANDO Lease $10,200 19,871 Above GRAY 4G A Yes 05/27/15 NASHVILL Lease $7,800 21,669 Avg MAGNETIC 4G A Yes 05/28/15 PALM BCH Lease $10,400 22,534 Above FRESH PO 4G O Yes 06/03/15 ORLANDO Lease $9,200 24,571 Avg BLUE 4G A Yes