More than one million plug-in electric vehicles have been sold worldwide in total, according to new research.
According to HybridCars.com, sales of both plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars have exploded in the space of less than five years, with half a million sold between July 2014 and September this year.
Last December, it was reported that 712,000 plug-in vehicles had been sold globally, with the total number of battery electric and plug-in hybrids sold estimated to currently sit at 1,004,000.
Europe is currently the biggest market for plug-in cars and vans, with the US coming in at a close second. Japan and China are also large markets, with the Chinese aiming to change their bus fleets to plug-in power.
The Nissan LEAF currently stands as the number one-selling electric vehicle in the world, with nearly 200,000 models sold since it debuted in 2010, while the Chevrolet Volt takes second place.
In the UK alone, the LEAF has sold more than 10,000 units since it came to market, with a total of 2,964 LEAF cars sold in the country during the first half of 2015, a 68.4 per cent increase over last year.
James Wright, Nissan UK’s managing director, said: “The UK’s electric vehicle market is growing at an extraordinary pace and while it may be too early to talk about tipping points, today’s achievement certainly indicates we’re well on our way.
“I am proud that the Nissan LEAF has played such a major role in changing perceptions of EV ownership and I am even prouder that the UK is now the number one market for LEAF sales in Europe.”
Launched in the middle of 2012, the Tesla Model S has quickly closed the gap on the older LEAF and Volt models, with approximately 85,000 sold worldwide since its debut.
It’s expected that sales of the Model S will continue to grow with the introduction of the entry-level S 70D model, which is available to order now with prices starting from £54,500.
In total, 35 different plug-in car and van models are currently on the market in the UK, with the variety and scale of choice set to expand even further as a result of the registration growth.
