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The Tesla Model S was the best-selling EV of 2015

According to numbers crunched over at Hybrid Cars, the Tesla Model S was the best selling pure electric vehicle last year with 50,366 deliveries. These numbers might not tell the whole story, since Tesla reports deliveries made in 2015 that might have been sold in a different calendar year, while other makers are tallying sales. However, it's inarguable that the Model S ended up in more worldwide driveways than the second-place Nissan Leaf, which did about 43,000 sales. In the US alone, Leaf sales were down 42.8 percent year-on-year, from 30,200 in 2014 to 17,269 last year, and that decline also increased throughout the year. That marks a great finish to a great start to 2015, when Tesla took the lead in EV sales in the US for the first quarter. On top of that, as of last year the Model S becomes the second-best selling EV ever, with 107,148 deliveries since the middle of 2012. It trails the Nissan Leaf, with well over 200,000 worldwide sales. The Chevrolet Volt/Opel Ampera combo takes a close third, with about 106,000 sales. The Nissan and Chevy rivals both launched at the end of 2010, a 16-month head start on the Tesla. Down the charts, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which continues to be forbidden fruit for our market notched 39,000 sales. The BYD Qin PHEV sold 31,898 examples in China, and BYD would take the overall victory from Tesla with 58,728 deliveries if you counted all of its EV and PHEV production, such as its electric buses. The BMW i3 nabbed fourth place with 24,057 global sales. In 2011 the Munich automaker said it wanted to sell 30,000 i3s annually by 2014, but by the time the car launched the company considered 15,000 annual sales 'great for now,' so the 2015 number seems a fine place to wind up. Related Video: News Source: Hybrid Cars Green BMW Chevrolet Mitsubishi Nissan Tesla

Mitsubishi teases world premiere of new PHEV concept ahead of Geneva

It was a little disappointing to find out that Mitsubishi's "return of a legend" for the 2015 Chicago Auto Show would simply be the North American debut of the GC-PHEV concept. The crossover has a chunky, rugged design that's somewhat attractive, but it's not exactly new to the motoring world. Apparently, the Japanese brand understands the desire to see what's next because the company is now teasing the world premiere of a concept for the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in March. Mitsubishi promises that the still-unnamed concept "is a 'declaration of intent'" for the company's future. The only real hints that the brand drops about the vehicle is that it features a next-gen, two-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid powertrain and is a crossover. Judging from Mitsubishi's two teaser images, the design appears to be cribbing a lot from the brand's own XR-PHEV concept. Up front, the angular nose and headlight design look almost identical, and the pointed rear with integrated taillights seems basically the same, as well. Hopefully, the Japanese brand has something clever going on here and isn't just slightly tweaking a previous design. MITSUBISHI MOTORS AT GENEVA MOTORSHOW 2015 CONCEPT CAR WORLD PREMIERE – A DECLARATION OF INTENT 27/01/15 TOKYO - "A future-oriented attitude: powerful, fast and dynamic". This is the theme of the 85th International Geneva Motor Show official poster in perfect synergy with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's (MMC's) confident presence this year; from a new dramatic booth design to the sharpness of an all-new concept car. A world premiere in Geneva, the striking concept car is a 'declaration of intent' for MMC's future directions -a powerful embodiment of its next generation 2WD plug-in hybrid electric ("PHEV") technology as well as its bold design renaissance, all contained in Mitsubishi Motors' favorite format of the SUV crossover. The all new Mitsubishi Motors concept - a smart combination of engineering, fluency with a high-output electric motor, low environmental impact, dynamic agility and athletic design. -ENDS -

Fiat introduces new Fullback pickup

Fiat has unveiled its first foray into the mid-size pickup truck market, the Fullback, at the Dubai Motor Show. It's not an entirely new product, confirming earlier reports. It's closely related to the Triton pickup (also known as the L200) that Mitsubishi builds in Thailand for markets in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Moreover, it's not likely ever to make it to North American showrooms. Riding on a 118-inch wheelbase, it measures 208 inches long, 71 inches wide and 70 inches tall. Those are identical measurements to the Mitsu, and give it roughly similar dimensions to the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon we get here. The Fullback can carry up to 2,300 pounds, and is powered by a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine available in either 150- or 180-horsepower states of tune, and mated to a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Fiat Professional will roll out the Fullback in markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where it will compete against the likes of the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Amarok. FIAT PROFESSIONAL DEBUTS NEW FULLBACK PICK-UP TRUCK AT THE DUBAI INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW - New FIAT Professional pick-up truck to be named Fullback – a name derived from the cornerstone position in rugby and American football - Available in the UK in autumn 2016, the FIAT Fullback will combine a practical double-cab body style with a spacious load area and competitive payload of 1,045kg - Powered by a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 150hp or 180hp outputs, the FIAT Fullback will have four-wheel drive as standard, combined with a manual or automatic transmission - More details, including pricing and final specifications, will be announced closer to the launch of the FIAT Fullback in the UK FIAT Professional has unveiled the all-new FIAT Fullback pick-up truck at the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show. The new, medium-duty pick-up will join the award-winning FIAT Professional range in autumn 2016 and will be available only with a practical double cab body style configuration in the UK making it an ideal vehicle for both commercial and leisure time activities. Measuring up to 1,780mm in height, 1,815 mm in width and 5,285mm in length, with a wheelbase of 3,000mm, the new FIAT Fullback will offer a competitive payload of 1,045 kg and will be powered by a 2.4-litre, aluminium, turbo-diesel engine with a power output of either 150hp or 180hp.