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PLUG IN AMERICA MARKS SALE OF 100,000 PLUG-IN VEHICLES


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FIND: Perfect Plug-in Match

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 17, 2013 - In a first for American transportation, the U.S. plug-in car market will pass a significant milestone this month: the 100,000th plug-in vehicle sold since the introduction of the latest generation of highway-capable plug-in vehicles just over two years ago. Plug In America, the leading voice for consumer adoption of plug-in vehicles, is commemorating the historic moment with an award contest and by launching a counter on its website that tracks EV sales. The counter is updated using sales data from the most recent published reports.

“Our current estimate, based on monthly sales figures from automakers, is that the 100,000th highway-capable plug-in vehicle will be sold on May 20," says Tom Saxton, Plug In America's chief science officer. "We are calling this the #PIA100K mark, and we are excited to see the continued growth of the market."

Highlights related to this historic moment:

  • Over a quarter-million people are exposed daily to the benefits of electric transportation
  • Nissan dealerships in some markets have reported that the Leaf has outsold all other Nissan models for particular sales periods this year
  • Tesla's Model S is outselling the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 7 series and the Audi A8
  • Chevy Volt drivers alone have logged over 187-million electric miles
  • The plug-in vehicle market is approaching 48 percent annual growth with both Battery Electric (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) vehicles finding growing interest
  • Plug-in vehicle adoption exceeds the adoption of hybrid vehicles over the same timeframe in their market developments
  • The domestic EV fleet now offers over 2,000 megawatts of battery storage, which may offer significant opportunities for the future management of our electrical grid and the increasing role of intermittent renewable energy sources
  • Manufacturers making EVs now include Nissan, Tesla, GM, Ford, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, and Fiat. These plug-in cars have received a wealth of consumer and industry awards

Plug In America board member Barry Woods offered his take on the 100,000th sale in a recent Plug In America blog post.

To commemorate this milestone, Plug In America has announced a drawing for a free vehicle charger to purchasers of plug-in vehicles between May 15 and Jun 15. The #PIA100K name is being used to promote the contest across a wide array of social media platforms. Contest page here.

About Plug In America: Plug In America is the preeminent advocacy organization advancing the plug-in vehicle market. The nonprofit organization works to accelerate the shift to plug-in vehicles powered by clean, affordable, domestic electricity to reduce our nation’s dependence on petroleum and improve the global environment. For more information: http://www.pluginamerica.org.