2013 (Q1) Sweden: Best-Selling Electric Cars and Plugin Hybrid Models

The Volvo S60 N Laddhybrid was the most popular plugin hybrid in Sweden in the first quarter of 2012. The Nissan Leaf remains the top-selling electric car.

Toyota Prius Plug-in at the 2013 Geneva Auto Salon

The first quarter of 2013 saw a tenfold increase in the sale of super-clean plugin hybrid and electric cars in Sweden compared to a year ago. The Volvo S60 N Laddhybrid and Toyota Prius Plug-in were the only two models to sell in significant numbers. The Nissan Leaf is still the most popular electric car in Sweden although the actual number of cars sold remains low. The Renault Kangoo ZE is the most popular electric delivery vehicle in Sweden. All other older electric cars are now selling insignificantly.

Best-Selling Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Cars in Sweden in 2013 (Q1)

The top-selling electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Sweden during the first three months of 2013 according to BILSweden were as follows:

Q1/2013 Q1/2012 FY 2012 FY 2011
1 Volvo S60 N Laddhybrid 352 0 42 0
2 Toyota Prius Plug-in 137 0 499 0
3 Nissan Leaf 83 30 129 0
4 Volvo C30 Electric 13 14 88 48
5 Opel Ampera 2 0 88 0
6 Citroen C-Zero 2 0 29 31
7 Chevrolet Volt 1 0 33 0
Peugeot iOn 0 6 9 28
Mitsubishi iMiev 0 2 9 71
Smart for Two EV 0 2 2 0
Total 590 58 928 178
Source: BILSweden

Swedish Electric and Plugin Hybrid Vehicle Market in 2013 (Q1)

The Volvo S60 N Laddhybrid has clearly established itself as Sweden’s favorite super-clean car by selling almost two and a half times more vehicles during January, February, and March 2013 than the Toyota Prius Plug-in. In March 2013, Toyota sold 28 Prius Plug-ins in Sweden compared to the 117 Volvo S60s sold in the same month.

The Nissan Leaf is still the most popular electric car in Sweden, Sales of the Leaf during the first quarter of 2013 were more than during the first nine months of 2012.

Sales numbers of all other electric cars in Sweden are now almost irrelevant. Even the Volvo C30 Electric recorded only a single sale in March 2013.

There was also a huge rise in the number of electric commercial vehicles (below 3.5 ton) with the Renault Kangoo selling 45 vehicles during the first three months of 2013 in Sweden.

Model Q1/2013 Q1/2012
1 Renault Kangoo ZE 45 4
2 Mercedes Vito 4 0
TOTAL 49 4

Although the 590 electric and plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles registered in Sweden during the first quarter of 2013 represent a ten-fold increase from a year ago, it is still a fraction of the 56,074 (-17.5%) new cars sold in Sweden. However, market share did increase from 0.1% a year ago to 1.1% during the first quarter of 2013.

In neighboring Norway, 1412 purely electric cars were sold during the first quarter of 2013.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.