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The affordable battery-electric crossover vehicle market in America collapsed in the first half of 2022. The number of such vehicles delivered is ridiculously low. While all automakers are struggling with shortages of key components, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) continue to further suffer from battery supply chain constraints and also odd and unexpected failures leading to their recall. Without further delay, here are the numbers:
One Hybrid AWD Crossover Outsold The Entire U.S. Affordable BEV Crossover Market
By contrast to the utter failure of automakers to provide an affordable AWD crossover powered by batteries, Toyota’s RAV4 Hybrid outsold the entire list of BEVs combined in the first half of 2022 by nearly 2 to 1. And that is just one of the many AWD crossover models that Toyota sold in America this year. It has sold about 60,000 other AWD hybrid crossovers. The 87K RAV4 Hybrids Toyota sold do not include the 10K plug-in hybrid-electric RAV4 Primes it also delivered.
Not All BEV Crossovers Are AWD
The numbers of battery-electric crossovers we have listed above include all powertrains of the model listed. AWD is optional on the Mustang Mach-E, Ioniq5, EV6, BZ4X, and ID.4. We don’t have a breakdown of the number that ship as 2WD vehicles to share, but the math doesn't get any better. Every RAV4 Hybrid is AWD.
Why Focus On AWD Crossovers?
Crossovers the size of the RAV4 and CR-V are the largest segment of the U.S. auto industry. Families and private buyers purchase this configuration of automobile in greater numbers than any other vehicle available. It is the default family and commuter vehicle in America.
Wait, Wait, What About Tesla?
Tesla makes fantastic vehicles, but Tesla does not produce an affordable AWD crossover. The Tesla Model Y is the company's least expensive crossover starting at $67,440, and is by no means an “affordable” vehicle for the majority of American shoppers. Tesla does enjoy a very high volume of sales in the luxury-priced crossover segment in which it leads. We wish Tesla nothing but continued success and hope that the company someday produces a crossover attainable by most shoppers.
Wait, Wait, What About the Chevy Bolt EUV?
The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is one of our favorite battery-electric vehicles overall. It is very affordable, it is for sale again after being pulled from the market for many months (as we said above, odd recalls), and is a joy to drive. Overall, it is one of our favorite vehicles of any type based on our first-hand testing. However, it is not offered in AWD, and GM rolls its delivery numbers into the overall Bolt model line which only totaled 7,303 units in the first half of 2022.
Conclusion - The Numbers Don’t Support Widespread EV Adoption In America This Decade
Buyer interest is not the problem for battery-electric crossovers. Those that automakers can produce are immediately sold or have months-long waiting lists. This has been true for years. For battery-electric vehicles to succeed in replacing hybrids as the green vehicle choice in America, the volume of deliveries needs to double. To begin replacing conventional crossovers in terms of deliveries, BEVs would need to increase in delivery volume by a factor of at least 10X per model. Despite the frequent press releases reported in the media about added EV capacity being built out, the country is a decade or more from the point where affordable EVs in the style Americans choose will truly be a viable option for shoppers who seem intent on making the switch.
Image of Hyundai Ioniq by John Goreham
John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American news outlets and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin
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Comments
You contradict yourself when
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You contradict yourself when you say the market is collapsing. There's simply aren't any for sale. If 50,000 were available they would sell out quickly absolutely no collapse whatsoever.
What a lazy and misleading
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What a lazy and misleading article. Written by an I'll informed intern?
Three of the seven e-Car
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Three of the seven e-Car types are not offered yet. Therefore their number is absolutely to be zero sales. PoleStar, Rivian, Lucid, MB, Audi, etc. are missing. And let's not forget the bigger picture and that is transportation in general. BYD sells buses in the US. BYD's major shareholder is Warren Buffett. So it's coming!
Do Polestar, Rivian, Lucid,
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In reply to Three of the seven e-Car by Tim (not verified)
Do Polestar, Rivian, Lucid, MB, and Audi deliver any affordable AWD BEV crossovers in America? If we added in all of those brands' EVs would they add up to a week of sales of the comparison vehicle?
And the Tesla Model Y numbers
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And the Tesla Model Y numbers are missing from your comparison because ????
Two reasons. Tesla's least
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In reply to And the Tesla Model Y numbers by Mart H Shearer (not verified)
Two reasons. Tesla's least expensive crossover starts at $67K in the U.S. Nobody considers $67K an "affordable vehicle." Another good reason not to include Tesla's Model Y deliveries in the U.S. is that Tesla has not disclosed that number. The story could not be more complimentary to Tesla and its products. It earned a full paragraph in a story that has nothing to do with the brand.
While a Tesla Model Y isn't
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In reply to Two reasons. Tesla's least by John Goreham
While a Tesla Model Y isn't affordable to me, neither is an Ionic 5, EV6, or Mustang Mach E. Tesla has 70% of the US EV market, and sales growth while most brands are shrinking. Clearly someone can afford them. FWIW, I drive a CPO BMW i3, so while I am an EV advocate, the cost of any new car is beyond reach for most people. "Affordable" is like "best" and "beautiful", all variable depending on who does the definition.
Collapsing? You discount
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Collapsing? You discount Tesla and then say it's collapsing. I suggest you look at the year over year sale of ALL AWD crossovers and get back to us. So sorry I clicked on this clickbait.
EVs are not for everyone. I
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EVs are not for everyone. I own a Bolt as my comuter car. On one hand I agree that an AWD EV for city commuting is a bit overkill. On the other hand I also think AWD combustion engine vehicles in most cities are also overkill.
Unsubstantiated claims. No
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Unsubstantiated claims. No one in the industry concurs with this opinion. EVs are not sitting on lots awaiting sale. They’re sold before they’re made. The major manufacturers are 4-15 months in arrears in filling orders, that’s not true with ICEs. I suggest you keep your opinions in line with reality,vans not your personal wishes.
This is to just get a
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This is to just get a reaction, and no basis in fact. You would be pushing horses over gas a hundred years ago. All EV are selling as fast as they can make them. New production lines have problems, but everyone is switching.
Horrible click bait article.
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The title says "collapse" and "here are the numbers", then doesn't talk about any collapse and there are no numbers.
Then another big bold statement about the decade, while forgetting we still are in the second year of the decade.
Inside the article there is some good information, it feels like it was put there just to have a foot to stand when replying to the comments.
Please next time give us articles with similar content, but without click bait titles. And when you claim you have the numbers about a collapse, show how the collapse happened during the years.
How long have Affordable
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How long have Affordable Electric Crossovers been around?
Most of the models you listed literally just came out! One of them isn't even on sale yet.
Yet the market is already collapsing? Sounds to me like it's just getting started! Lol
Yeah, this is misleading at
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Yeah, this is misleading at best, but I guess the clicks won’t come if you title the article, “Production woes, prioritization of rear-wheel production, and limited model availability hold back EV adoption.” You mention 7 model’s sales, two of which have not even been released (Ariya and Soltarra) and a third that was just released (the Toyota). I completely agree that more models and great production volume will be needed along with price points, but they are coming (albeit slower than desired). But as stated by other commenters, it is hard to collapse before the market gets started
I don't think the issue is
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I don't think the issue is number of vehicles sold quite yet. While I think EVs have been around for awhile now; I just don't think hybrids have fully matured to the point of saturation. Hybrids are still controlling a price point that many can afford. I truly think many feel EVs are being pushed down their throats. Why many may disagree with me but the transition from pure fossil fuel vehicles to hybrid vehicles was a failed marketing effort. I mentioned this due to price for EVs didn't come to the masses at a point of acceptance hence, the push back. I'm just one consumer looking for my affordable hybrid and not yet ready to commit to electric.
Love my 87 F150, inline six.
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Love my 87 F150, inline six. 35 yrs old this month, made in America and still going strong. She'll be running long after all of your batteries on wheels are creating new landfills.
I think most of these
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I think most of these vehicles are brand new to the market and haven't been on sale for the entire year. That will skew the numbers badly.
Easily one of the worst takes
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Easily one of the worst takes I have ever read on the current state of auto industry and the demand for electric vehicles
Sincerely,
Anonymous automotive executive
Thanks for commenting, Sandro
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In reply to Easily one of the worst takes by Sandro (not verified)
Thanks for commenting, Sandro. Is it fair to say that you disagree with the story's conclusion that "Buyer interest is not the problem for battery-electric crossovers. Those that automakers can produce are immediately sold or have months-long waiting lists. This has been true for years."?
The discussion and conclusion
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In reply to Thanks for commenting, Sandro by John Goreham
The discussion and conclusion of the article are fine. The headline is not fine… it suggests that demand and sales have dropped. Since neither is true… click bate.
The discussion and conclusion
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In reply to Thanks for commenting, Sandro by John Goreham
The discussion and conclusion of the article are fine. The headline is not fine… it suggests that demand and sales have dropped. Since neither is true… click bate.
BEVs are hard to obtain. 2-3
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BEVs are hard to obtain. 2-3 years out. Nothing is collapsing.
So would you summarize your
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In reply to BEVs are hard to obtain. 2-3 by Bill Wall (not verified)
So would you summarize your view by saying, "a healthy auto market is one in which the product the consumer wants to drive to work on Monday will be here in around three years?"
I may have missed it but I
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I may have missed it but I did not see the availability of these vehicles or the dealer added mark-up. When I visit the dealerships, I don't see any of these models available ro purchase. Therefore, it may not be a demand problem but a supply problem. Once the supply is plentiful and the price does not exceed MSRP, the numbers may reflect a 100% conversion to EV this decade. If the price of gas rises to average $6+/gal, it may quicken the conversion.
Just more sky is falling
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Just more sky is falling rhetoric. Sales of electric cars (including fully electric and plug-in hybrids) doubled in 2021 to a new record of 6.6 million, with more now sold each week than in the whole of 2012. Despite strains along global supply chains, sales kept rising strongly into 2022, with 2 million electric cars sold worldwide in the first quarter, up by three-quarters from the same period a year earlier. The number of electric cars on the world’s roads by the end of 2021 was about 16.5 million, triple the amount in 2018.
Who needs AWD. Almost nobody.
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Who needs AWD. Almost nobody.
Front wheel drive is good enough.
Demand for AWD crossovers is
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In reply to Who needs AWD. Almost nobody. by Mariani (not verified)
Demand for AWD crossovers is so strong that many manufacturers won't even ship a 2WD crossover above the Mason Dixon Line. Toyota's RAV4 is the top-selling personal use vehicle in America over the past few years, and every one of its electrified trims is AWD. Subaru and Mazda don't even bother to build any 2WD crossovers, and both brands are among the leaders in the segment. Which is the industry's largest overall vehicle class for private buyers.
I drink the EV Kool aid every
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I drink the EV Kool aid every day when I realize that instead of $30-50 in gas in a day I spent $3-5 in electricity. At the end of the week I think... Hmmmm I'm saving enough here per month to buy another house or go on a nice luxury cruise once a year. When my next door neighbor saw the numbers and my money still in my pocket he went right out and bought an EV ... Some people just get it!
I guess we're just making up
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I guess we're just making up our own definitions for words now? Collapse? How.dumb. The market for oysters collapses at the end of every season too I guess.
I have owned a fantastic BYD
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I have owned a fantastic BYD TOTALLY ELECTRIC CAR AND IT IS AWESOME. BYD BUILDS THE BEST ELECTRIC VEHICLE'S AND HAS NOW OVERTAKEN TESLA IN SALES AND PERFORMANCE THIS MONTH. My BYD from the factory does the quarter mile in under 10 seconds and has a range of around 670 kilometers before needing to be recharged as the BYD corporation makes the best long lasting battery's in the world. They have a lifespan of over ten years. The BYD CORPORATION STANDS FOR BUILD YOUR OWN DREAM. As for me I'm working on a invention that will recharge the batteries as you are driving the car and will be or should I say have a patent on my product I will be looking for investors in the near future. Okay that's about it for the meantime I support saving the earth ozone layer and believe that electric vehicle's are the way of the future. God bless everyone. Amen