Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Sep: Waiting On Better 2016 Models

Sales of plug-in electric cars in the U.S. had a low-to-average month in September, with the sole bright spot being the astounding sales of the BMW i3 electric hatchback.

Two new 2016 models, the entirely redesigned Chevy Volt and the longer-range 107-mile Nissan Leaf, should start this month, but last month's sales likely included selldowns of their predecessors as buyers waited for the new and more desirable versions.

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Remarkably, the BMW i3 was apparently the highest-selling electric car in the U.S. last month, with a total of 1,710 deliveries.

That's its highest month ever, and it brings this year's total to 7,893. Since the i3 went on sale in May 2014, BMW has sold a total of 13,985 in the U.S.--in both battery-electric and range-extended versions.

The i3 outsold both the Chevy Volt--at 949 units--and the Nissan Leaf, whose sales of 1,247 were about average for the year.

For the first nine months of 2015, GM has delivered a total of 9,264 Volts and Nissan has sold 13,630 Leafs.

Sales of the Tesla Model S, the other high-volume plug-in car on the market, are not reported by its maker, Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA].

That company also delivered its first six Model X electric utility wagon models in a highly publicized ceremony in California last week, though the company says that volume production of the Model X won't begin until sometime early next year.

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Among the three higher-volume plug-in hybrid models, Ford delivered 808 Fusion Energi mid-size sedans and 719 C-Max Energi compact hatchbacks, bringing those models' nine-month totals to 6,899 and 5,678 respectively.

Sales of both models are down on the comparable period last year, perhaps owing to continuing low gasoline prices.

Sales of the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid continue to fall; September's 216 was even lower than August's lowest-ever 344, bringing the 2015 total up to 4,034 as the model winds down after production ended this summer.

Like the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, now off the market, it can be considered on its last legs.