The new Toyota Prius Plug-in became the most popular electric car in Sweden ahead of the Volvo C30 Electric, Nissan Leaf and Opel Ampera
See 2012 Best-Selling Electric Car Models in Sweden for statistics for the whole year.
The Toyota Prius Plug-in easily became the best-selling super clean car in Sweden during the first nine months of 2012. Super clean cars has a maximum carbon dioxide emission of 50 g / km. The Prius was followed by the Volvo C30 Electric, Nissan Leaf and Opel Ampera. Last year’s favorite electric cars – the technologically similar Mitsubishi iMiev, Peugeot iOn, and Citroen C-Zero are fast falling behind.
Best-Selling Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Cars in Sweden in 2012 (Q3)
Car sales statistics released by Bilsweden identified the following electric and plug-in hybrids as the most popular super low emission new passenger vehicles registered in Sweden during the first nine months of 2012:
| 2012 | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 | ||
| Â | Â | Jan-Sep | Jan-June | Jan-Sep | Full Year |
| 1 | Toyota Prius Plug-in | 296 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Volvo C30 Electric | 78 | 48 | 28 | 48 |
| 3 | Nissan Leaf | 77 | 51 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Opel Ampera | 72 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Chevrolet Volt | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Citroen C-Zero | 23 | 19 | 18 | 31 |
| 7 | Peugeot iOn | 9 | 8 | 27 | 28 |
| 8 | Mitsubishi iMiev | 5 | 5 | 70 | 71 |
| 9 | Smart for Two EV | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 588 | 183 | 143 | 178 | |
| Source: BILSweden |
Top-Selling Low Emission Cars in Sweden in 2012 (Q3)
Sales of super clean cars in Sweden got a huge boost by the launch of the new Toyota Prius Plug-in in Sweden in July 2012. Super clean cars include electric cars and plug-in hybrids, which emits less than 50 g of CO2 per km. In three months, the Prius Plug-in alone sold more than half the super clean cars sold in Sweden during the first nine months of 2012. Three months of Prius Plug-in hybrid car sales were almost double the total electric car sold in Sweden during 2011.
The Volvo C-30 Electric was again the second most popular electric car on the Swedish market. The Nissan Leaf, Sweden’s favorite car during the first half-year 2012, slipped to third place at the end of the third quarter.
The Opel Ampera was the fourth best-selling electric car in Sweden during the first nine months of 2012 followed by the similar, but slightly cheaper, Chevrolet Volt.
Last year’s top-selling electric car in Sweden, the Mitsubishi iMiev slipped to eighth place while the technologically similar Citroen C-Zero and Peugeot iOn also fell out of favor.
Not included in the above figures is the Renault Kangoo ZE light delivery vehicle of which 205 were sold during the period January to September 2012.
Although the total numbers remain small, electric cars are enjoying phenomenal growth in Sweden in recent months. Special tax breaks and incentives should also help to increase the popularity of low emission vehicles in Sweden, although specialists feel the current end of subsidies planned for end 2013 may be too soon to boost cleaner cars.
However, it seems that the introduction of cheaper and more efficient electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles may be the strongest factor in increasing sales. Of the top five most popular electric cars in Sweden, only the Volvo C-30 Electric has been on the market a year ago.
