EVs hit record high as Irish car market shifts again

Michael McAleer

Electric cars have their highest-ever share of the new car market. EV sales account for 18.4 per cent of new cars this year, exceeding the previous high in 2023.

While petrol cars are still the best-sellers, accounting for 25 per cent of sales, regular hybrids make up 23.8 per cent, while diesel sales account for 17.1 per cent, just ahead of plug-in hybrid sales of 15 per cent.

Volkswagen is the best-selling brand in the EV market, with 3,265 registrations, followed by Kia with 2,821 and Tesla with 2,622. The biggest selling EV models are the VW ID.4, Tesla Model 3 and Kia EV3, according to figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

Brian Cooke, SIMI director general, said the growth in new EV registrations has been reflected in every county this year. 

Overall, the new car market is up 3 per cent on last year to the end of November, with 124,680 registrations.

Toyota is set to be the best-selling new car brand in Ireland for 2025. The Japanese car firm is 2,460 registrations ahead of its nearest rival, Volkswagen. Total December sales rarely exceed 500 new cars.

Toyota’s lead is despite its sales falling 3.8 per cent this year.

Skoda is in third place with 12,241, followed by Hyundai with 11,791 and Kia with 9,803.

Premium brand BMW is now in sixth place with 5,143, ahead of Audi at 4,930. Both are ahead of more mainstream brands like Peugeot, Ford, Dacia and Renault.

BMW has benefitted from the growth in plug-in hybrids, and the brand is the best-seller in this market, registering 3,134 PHEVs.

The best-selling model remains the Hyundai Tucson, with 4,643 registrations, ahead of Skoda’s Octavia with 3,677, Kia Sport with 3,461 and the Toyota Yaris Cross with 3,460.

Of the new Chinese brands to enter the market, BYD is by far the biggest seller, with 2,628 registrations, some way ahead of MG with 1,487.

At the commercial end of the market, new van sales are up 6.2 per cent at 32,476. Led by Ford with 7,412, which is well ahead of Volkswagen with 4,780 and Renault with 4,550. However, it’s the Renault Trafic that is the best-selling model in the van market.

While the van market is still dominated by diesel, EVs now account for nearly 6 per cent of sales, double their share of the market last year.

In contrast, registrations for heavy goods vehicles are down 6.75 per cent to 2,653, with the market led by Scania with 742, and Volvo with 616.