New data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) reveals that new car registrations in Ireland rose by 9.7% in October, totaling 2,423 vehicles compared to 2,208 in the same month last year. However, year-to-date figures show a slight overall decline in registrations, down 1.2% to 119,668 from 121,134 in 2022.
The statistics indicate that while the general new car market is seeing an uptick, the electric vehicle (EV) segment is struggling. In October, 529 new electric cars were registered, representing a 12.3% drop from the 603 EVs registered during the same month in 2022. Year-to-date, 16,656 new electric cars have been registered, which marks a significant decrease of 25.4% compared to the 22,329 EVs registered during the same period last year.
According to SIMI, petrol vehicles continue to dominate the new car market share in 2024, accounting for 30.79% of registrations. Diesel vehicles follow closely at 22.94%, while hybrid vehicles (petrol-electric) hold 20.99% of the market. Electric cars make up 13.92%, with plug-in hybrids at 9.81%.
In a notable trend, the importation of used cars has surged, with a 38.5% increase in October, totaling 5,710 compared to 4,123 in the same month last year. Year-to-date imports also reflect a positive trend, rising by 25.9% to 53,448 from 42,461 in the previous year.
The Toyota Yaris Cross emerged as the best-selling car in October. Additionally, the top-selling car brands so far this year are Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai, and Kia. The most popular new car models include the Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Octavia, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, and the Toyota Yaris Cross.
Among electric vehicles, the leading brands are Volkswagen, Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, and BYD.
Brian Cooke, SIMI’s Director General, commented on the latest figures, stating that while October’s new car registrations increased by 10% compared to the previous year, the overall year-to-date figures still show a marginal decline. “The data also reveals a continuing decline in electric vehicle sales, with registrations down 12% from October last year. This marks the ninth consecutive month of decline in EV registrations, a worrying trend,” Cooke noted.
He emphasized the urgency for ongoing government support and initiatives to stimulate growth in the electric vehicle market, as year-to-date EV registrations are now 25% lower than in 2023. “The decline in EV sales highlights the need for continued government support to enhance sales in this critical market segment,” he added.