Q3 2023: A Strong Quarter for Nissan Sales

Photo Source: NISSAN

Since 2011, the Nissan Leaf has had a 212-mile range in ideal conditions, a touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and a tiny pop-up front charge port. It was one of the first mass-produced electric vehicles (EV) and will be remembered fondly as a pioneer in the electric vehicle space. For the fourth straight year, however, the 2023 Nissan Leaf has hit a snag in sales. 

The Leaf is one of the most affordable electric production vehicles, but in the last 12 years since its debut, Nissan has sold 170,000 units in the United States. With a global sales number of 600,000 units, even with the massive increase in electric vehicle adoption worldwide, it will be an uphill battle for the Leaf to stage a comeback.

Indeed, Nissan had a challenging 2022, with consistently declining sales throughout the year. Nevertheless, recent statistics suggest that things might be looking up for the manufacturer, with 2023 being a definite improvement over 2022. The sales figures from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023 demonstrate a significant progression for Nissan. 

Sales from 2020-2022

For example, Nissan commenced the fourth quarter of 2020 with 222,643 units sold, indicating a solid finish to the otherwise tumultuous year. The sales figures began steadily rising in 2021, with the automaker starting the year with 266,481 units in the first quarter of 2021. The brand recovered some ground in its sales volume at the start of 2022, with sales figures climbing back up to 189,839 units in Q1. 

This upward swing indicated its resilience and adaptability in response to the challenges it faced at the close of 2021. However, the second quarter of 2022 marked the beginning of a very steep slope for the brand.

A Much-Anticipated Rebound

That said, Nissan is making waves with a noticeable improvement in the United States market, posting noteworthy numbers for the third quarter of 2023 that suggest a turn in the tide for the brand, especially in the electric vehicle sector. As it stands, sales of Nissan vehicles in the United States totaled 200,334 in the third quarter, a 40 percent increase from the same period last year (2022). Year-to-date, the automaker has sold approximately 648,219 cars, a 28 percent year-over-year increase. 

Nissan’s Ariya Electric Vehicle Soars

However, the real story lies in Nissan’s electric vehicle sales, which skyrocketed 376 percent year-over-year, the highest quarterly gain since the fourth quarter of the 2014 model year. It is worth noting that even though the all-electric vehicles still represent only three percent of the company’s total sales volume, the figures hint at significant untapped potential. Nissan’s all-new Ariya model is shining brilliantly as the star of the sales chart, selling 4,504 units in the third quarter of 2023 alone.

Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf, once a trailblazer in the electric vehicle market, sees only a marginal increase in sales from last year (2022). The numbers indicate a slight uptick of 1,570 units sold in the third quarter of 2023, up from 1,276 in the 2022 model year. Nonetheless, the picture looks more optimistic when considering the year-to-date data. In other words, the Ariya and Leaf together represent 15,503 electric vehicle sales in 2023, a 74 percent surge compared to last year and a reassuring 2.4 percent of the brand’s total United States sales this year.

Still, the United States automotive market continues to ride the recovery wave in the third quarter of 2023 on strong fleet shipments and improving retail inventories. Nissan has favorably registered double-digit percentage sales growth year-over-year. If you would like to augment demand for the automaker, please come visit Nissan of Fort Pierce. We know what it takes to provide a worthwhile experience. We can even help sell your current vehicle or bring it back to life like new with an online service appointment at our service center. Allow our professional technicians to get started on all repairs or maintenance work.