GM's Volt, Nissan's Leaf nearly tied in 2011 EV sales race

It was a dreadful month for auto sales overall amid shortages due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and weak demand, but the electric vehicle (EV) race sure got interesting.

General Motors said it sold 481 Volts in May for a grand total of 2,184 for the year. GM noted previously that Volt sales would take a hit for a few months as it ramps production. Sales for May were down 1.2 percent compared to a year ago.

However, Nissan had a strong month for the Leaf. Nissan sold 1,142 all-electric Leafs in May and 2,167 for the year. Those May sales put Nissan almost even with GM in the EV sales race.

On other fronts, Toyota said it sold 6,924 Prius cars in May, down 47 percent from a year ago. Overall, sales for May were down 32.2 percent. A recent Prius recall probably won't help future sales from Toyota.

Related: Interest in electric vehicles will rise when gas hits $5 a gallon: Study

Honda sold 1,557 CR-Zs in May. The CR-Z is a sport hybrid that is relatively new. The Insight sold 1,435 units, down 18.7 percent from a year ago. Overall, Honda's May sales were down 16 percent in May compared to a year ago.

Meanwhile, Ford noted that May sales were roughly flat with a year ago, but fuel efficient vehicles were selling well. Ford's electric vehicles are on deck.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com