New car sales up 6% on last year as EV registrations rose 57%

Electric cars now have the largest share of the new car market with 27.7 per cent, ahead of regular hybrids with 23.5 per cent, petrol with 19.4 per cent and plug-in hybrids with 15 per cent. Diesel now accounts for just 12.3 per cent of the new car market.

Total new car registrations to the end of October were 130,754, with 2,501 new cars registered last month, according to figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

According to Emma Mitchell, operations director of SIMI, growth in EV sales is being seen across the country, including strong increases in both urban and rural areas, with 61 per cent of new electric cars registered outside Dublin this year.

“BEVs are now the most popular powertrain for Irish new car buyers so far this year,” she said in a statement.

Toyota remains the best-selling brand with 17,865 sales, securing its position on the back of hybrid sales, with its Yaris Cross model also the best-selling new car model, accounting for 3,886 registrations.

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Volkswagen is in second place with 15,110 units, ahead of Skoda on 12,736 and Hyundai on 10,830. Of the premium brands, BMW is in the lead with 5,158 registrations, slightly ahead of Audi on 5,105.

Of the new Chinese brands, BYD is the strongest, holding ninth place overall in terms of total new car sales.

In the EV market, Kia is the best seller this year, ahead of Volkswagen. The German brand’s ID.4 is, however, the best-selling EV model and was the overall best-selling new car in October.