[Update] Spark EV sales tank in June - [now healthy at 359]

[whomadewho]

Source: InsideEVs:
http://insideevs.com/june-2016-plug-electric-vehicle-sales-report-card/

***Update: InsideEVs on July 5 reports that they incorrectly stated the preliminary July data (14 cars), instead of June's. Actual sales were on par for the three months running at 359 cars sold. Still down slightly, but not terrible. Whew!

Original linked article as quoted below:

Chevrolet SPARK EV:

The advent of a new “geared-to-income” EV rebate program in California this Spring lead to the monthly lease cost of the Chevy Spark EV to fall to….zero.

Yes, that is right, if you make under 3x the federal poverty limit (35k, or 73k for a family income for 4) – go find a dealer willing to knock off about $1,000 bucks and you get a free EV.

As one might expect under that program, Spark EV sales shot shortly thereafter. For May, a ‘near record’ 394 sales were made, 419 in April

The issue heading into June however…is that the CVRP funding as been temporarily cut-off thanks to some political posturing (details). How would people feel about paying full retail for the tiny all-electric Chevy?

They hated it…just 14 were sold in June – expressed another way, sales were off a gazillion percent from both June of 2015 and last month (-93% and -96% respectively.)

So just as the Spark EV hit its sweet spot (cheap for most residents, and selling for “free” to the under-underprivileged) the CVRP program has hit a road-bump. And also add to that we find that the production of the 2016 Chevy Spark EV in South Korea winds down in August – giving way to the upcoming, made-in-the-USA, 200+ mile Bolt EV.

Ouch!

 

[SparkevBlogspot]

I have to wonder if there's a typo, maybe a missing 1 or 2 in front (as in 114 or 214). I monitor via autotrader, it was going down by about 5 per day, although it did have about 100 increase in short time (new inventory?). It's certainly lot less than before when it sold about 15 per day in Apr/May when I predicted about 400 sold, and they came true.

But if it really is 14, wow, that has to be some sort of a record. Apr 2015 had about 700% increase, June 2016 with about 90% decrease. SparkEV might be the leading record holder!

 

[MrDRMorgan]

I have to wonder if there's a typo, maybe a missing 1 or 2 in front (as in 114 or 214). I monitor via autotrader, it was going down by about 5 per day, although it did have about 100 increase in short time (new inventory?). It's certainly lot less than before when it sold about 15 per day in Apr/May when I predicted about 400 sold, and they came true.

But if it really is 14, wow, that has to be some sort of a record. Apr 2015 had about 700% increase, June 2016 with about 90% decrease. SparkEV might be the leading record holder!

There is something strange going on here. I regularly check 3-5 Chevy dealers in my area that I know carry inventory of Spark EVs and I have been seeing their inventory drop significantly in the past couple of weeks. Today, most of these dealers had none or only one Spark EV for sale. I expected the fact that the $2500 California Clean Air Rebate running out of funds in early June would impact California sales in June but what about Oregon and Maryland? Why do the dealers I monitor in California suddenly show little, if any, inventory if the loss of the rebate did impact sales in California? It doesn't make sense and I hope the June sales number quoted is wrong.

5 July 2016: It must have been a typo. Today, Inside EVs shows the Spark EV sales for June to be 359.

 

[whomadewho]

The advent of a new “geared-to-income” EV rebate program in California this Spring lead to the monthly lease cost of the Chevy Spark EV to fall to….zero.

Yes, that is right, if you make under 3x the federal poverty limit (35k, or 73k for a family income for 4) – go find a dealer willing to knock off about $1,000 bucks and you get a free EV
{...}
The issue heading into June however…is that the CVRP funding as been temporarily cut-off thanks to some political posturing (details). How would people feel about paying full retail for the tiny all-electric Chevy?

Actually, that's very interesting, so for low-income lessees the CVRP rebate -$4000 could cover the lease payments? My math comes up differently, but maybe I'm missing something... though it is still insanely cheap.

 

[Leafless]

Leafless here... but Sparkless no more! I leased one on June 30.

 

[MrDRMorgan]

Leafless here... but Sparkless no more! I leased one on June 30.

Welcome to the "GANG". You are going to have a lot of fun with the Spark EV.