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Chevy Bolt EV Sales Double Segment Share In Q3 2020

Chevy Bolt EV sales increased in the United States and Brazil, while decreasing in Canada, South Korea and Mexico during the third quarter of 2020.

Chevrolet Bolt EV Sales - Q3 2020 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Bolt EV deliveries totaled 5,682 units in Q3 2020, an increase of about 18 percent compared to 4,830 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Bolt EV sales increased about 7 percent to 14,053 units.
MODEL Q3 2020 / Q3 2019 Q3 2020 Q3 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020 YTD 2019
BOLT EV +17.64% 5,682 4,830 +7.18% 14,053 13,111

Chevrolet Bolt EV Sales - Q3 2020 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Bolt EV deliveries totaled 1,094 units in Q3 2020, a decrease of about 5 percent compared to 1,148 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Bolt EV sales decreased about 4 percent to 2,763 units.
MODEL Q3 2020 / Q3 2019 Q3 2020 Q3 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020 YTD 2019
BOLT EV -4.70% 1,094 1,148 -3.53% 2,763 2,864

Chevrolet Bolt EV Sales - Q3 2020 - South Korea

In South Korea, Chevrolet Bolt EV deliveries totaled 177 units in Q3 2020, a decrease of about 74 percent compared to 684 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Bolt EV sales decreased about 38 percent to 1,462 units.
MODEL Q3 2020 / Q3 2019 Q3 2020 Q3 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020 YTD 2019
BOLT EV -74.12% 177 684 -38.13% 1,462 2,363

Chevrolet Bolt EV Sales - Q3 2020 - Mexico

In Mexico, Chevrolet Bolt EV deliveries totaled 4 units in Q3 2020, a decrease of about 56 percent compared to 9 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Bolt EV sales decreased about 24 percent to 19 units.
MODEL Q3 2020 / Q3 2019 Q3 2020 Q3 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020 YTD 2019
BOLT EV -55.56% 4 9 -24.00% 19 25

Chevrolet Bolt EV Sales - Q3 2020 - Brazil

In Brazil, Chevrolet Bolt EV deliveries totaled 16 units in Q3 2020, an increase of about 1,500 percent compared to 1 units sold in Q3 2019.

In the first nine months of the year, Bolt EV sales increased about 4,800 percent to 98 units.
MODEL Q3 2020 / Q3 2019 Q3 2020 Q3 2019YTD 2020 / YTD 2019 YTD 2020 YTD 2019
BOLT EV +1,500.00% 16 1 +4,800.00% 98 2

Competitive Sales Comparison (U.S.)

Chevy Bolt EV sales saw a healthy increase during the third quarter of 2020, but the even bigger news is that the small EV managed to nearly double its segment share. The Chevy battery-electric car/crossover was also the only model in its segment to post a sales uptick, while all other rivals reported a decrease in volumes.

The results keep the Bolt EV in second place in the mainstream dedicated electric and electrified vehicle segment, behind the Toyota Prius, which commanded 50 percent of the segment share despite a 41 percent decrease in sales volume. The Bolt EV outsold the rest of the segment, including the Hyundai Ioniq in third place, the Nissan Leaf – the Bolt EV’s most direct rival, which saw sales decrease 38 percent, and the Honda Clarity. The rest of the competition was behind by quite a notable margin, including the Volkswagen E-Golf, Toyota Mirai and the discontinued Chevy Volt (see Chevy Volt sales).

Sales Numbers - Mainstream Small Battery Electric & Electrified Cars - Q3 2020 - USA

MODEL Q3 20 / Q3 19 Q3 20 Q3 19 Q3 20 SHARE Q3 19 SHARE YTD 20 / YTD 19 YTD 20 YTD 19
TOYOTA PRIUS -40.78% 12,446 21,017 50% 52% -35.20% 32,566 50,258
CHEVROLET BOLT EV +17.64% 5,682 4,830 23% 12% +7.18% 14,053 13,111
HYUNDAI IONIQ -41.94% 3,801 6,547 15% 16% -34.69% 9,239 14,146
NISSAN LEAF -38.25% 1,916 3,103 8% 8% -45.97% 4,923 9,111
HONDA CLARITY -64.65% 818 2,314 3% 6% -72.24% 2,598 9,359
VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF -87.73% 209 1,703 1% 4% -80.70% 694 3,596
TOYOTA MIRAI -59.79% 115 286 0% 1% -72.70% 341 1,249
CHEVROLET VOLT -99.43% 5 874 0% 2% -98.52% 67 4,540
TOTAL -38.55% 24,992 40,674 -38.81% 64,481 105,370

As we typically mention, it’s worth highlighting the fact that Toyota Prius and Hyundai Ioniq sales figures do not exclusively represent battery-electric vehicles, since those models also include Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid variants. The case is similar for the Honda Clarity, which is available in Plug-In Hybrid, Electric and Fuel Cell variants.

The mainstream dedicated new energy vehicle segment contracted 39 percent to 24,992 units in Q3 2020, meaning that the Bolt EV significantly outperformed the segment.

The GM Authority Take

Low Chevy Bolt EV sales volume has typically been an area of concern given GM’s strategy to boldly dive headfirst into the electric vehicle space by planning to launch 30 electric vehicles by the year 2025. As a result, the vehicle’s overly positive sales performance during Q3 2020 represents a glimmer of hope that sales will continue to rise. A recent study found that 71 percent of U.S. drivers are considering an electric vehicle.

Yet despite the healthy 18 percent growth in Q3 2020 sales volume in the U.S. market, the Bolt’s EV’s sales volume is still very low. In fact, 6,764 fewer units of the Bolt EV were delivered than the Toyota Prius during the quarter. Granted, the Prius is a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and is not a pure EV, so it’s not an apples to apples comparison. But the comparatively low sales volume of the Chevy is undeniably concerning.

The Bolt EV posted an increase in sales during Q1 2020, which was welcomed movement given the model’s lackluster performance throughout 2018 and even worse performance in 2019. In fact, the Bolt EV was one of only a few vehicles industry-wide to see sales grow during the first quarter of 2020, a timeframe marred by COVID-19 and its various effects.

2022 Bolt EV refresh.

2022 Bolt EV refresh

The Bolt EV will receive a thorough refresh that will launch in mid-2021 as a 2022 model year vehicle. Updates to the model will include new front and rear fascias, along with various improvements to the cabin and seats. Updates to the electric drivetrain are not expected.

2022 Chevy Bolt EUV.

2022 Chevy Bolt EUV

At the same time, it be joined by a new sibling model called Bolt EUV, which will be slightly larger and more spacious. The duo will share the same GM BEV2 platform and battery tech, but the Bolt EUV will be larger and more spacious.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Bolt EV sales for Q3 2019, unless noted otherwise
  • In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q3 2020 and 76 selling days in Q3 2019
  • South Korea sales figures reflect actual vehicle registrations rather than wholesales
  • China sales figures represent retail deliveries and not wholesales
  • Toyota Prius sales include Prius, Prius Prime, Prius c and Prius v
  • Toyota Mirai sales include Mirai fuel cell vehicle
  • Hyundai Ioniq sales include Ioniq Electric, Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid
  • Honda Clarity sales include Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, Clarity Electric and Clarity Fuel Cell
GM Q3 2020 sales reports:

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Comments

  1. Wow.

    Reply
    1. wow good or wow bad?

      Reply
      1. Wow Good.

        Reply
  2. Why did bolt leave europe
    In canada a bolt costs eur 21000 why not en eu???

    Reply
    1. GM probably lost money on every Bolt they sold in Europe (as €21,000 is about $25,95.35) and they almost definitely do is the USA (where the Bolt costs $36,500 before incentives).

      Reply
  3. Mirai – Toyota’s fuel cell vehicle. Mirai means future in Japanese. It definitely is the car of the future, and always will be.
    Ioniq – Hyundai’s Prius Killer, comes in: EV, Hybrid, PHEV & Fuel Cell variants. but only when a blue moon falls on a leap year during a hail storm.
    Leaf- made by the world’s largest car company Nissan/ Renault/ Mitsubishi. In short supply company doesn’t have enough money to buy batteries
    Golf E – No longer available in the U.S.
    Prius Family has grown from 1 model w/229,000 sales in 2012 to 2 models with about 40,000 in sales in 2020.

    Reply
    1. That’s all nice but who cares but you? Merry Christmas and all that but I hope you got some sort of life for a gift.

      Let’s get straight to the point. The advances that GM/LG are putting into production with the Ultium cells and the reduction of Cobalt mean more than any of the stuff you post. They are beyond any doubt the leaders in cell development until somebody else trumps them. And as of today, NOBODY has. The future is electric. And I’m sorry IMO GM is in the lead. The fans of the rest get some sort of satisfaction spreading nonsense.

      I’m sorry but IMO you aren’t fooling anybody but yourself.

      Reply
      1. Well I’m glad they are basically leaving the powertrain of the bolt ev, (and upcoming bolt euv) alone as I consider it already very conservative and perfected….For instance that double-reduction gearing should never wear out even when pushed hard.

        As far as the battery goes – yes the older 60 kwh version has fire problems in a few vehicles when charged over 90%, but at least the newer 66 kwh version currently used apparently has no such trouble. Supposedly the Bolt Euv will have a 11.6 kw charger – but hopefully that will be left optional since the base 7.6 kw charger that the Bolt has always had along with the 2019 volt premier will work just fine for the majority of people and therefore, keeping the ubiquitous 7.6 kw unit standard will keep the cost of the more basic EUV trims down – and this segment of SUV will definitely benefit from a lower base MSRP.

        Only question is – when can we get a detailed look at the EUV?

        Reply
      2. -Car of the future and always will be.
        -Only available on a blue moon during a leap year.
        -doesn’t have enough money to buy batteries.
        – Starting At 229,000 growing to 40,000
        ^^ These were meant to be criticisms of the cars above^^

        Reply
  4. Is there a breakdown of how many sales were linked to the Costco discount that started after the Federal rebates stopped?

    Reply
    1. No. GM is very tight lipped about sources of sales data… I worked for them for ten years and it’s even tough to get that info internally.

      Reply

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