Budget 2024 Invest now SIMI calls for extension of EV incentives and investment in charging infrastructure

01/09/2023

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 232 new vehicle registrations statistics for August.

New car registrations for the month of August were down 0.3% (8,131) when compared to August 2022 (8,154). Registrations year to date are up 18.3% (112,729) on the same period last year (95,269).

Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are up 5.7% (2,217) compared to August last year (2,097) and year to date are up 32% (25,207). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are also showing an increase of 24.4% (296) in comparison to August 2022 (238). Year to date HGVs are up 32% (2,222).

Imported Used Cars seen a 4% (4,578) decrease in August 2023, when compared to August 2022 (4,769). Year to date imports are up 2.8% (34,012) on 2022 (33,084).

For the month of August 1,776 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 1,484 in August 2022 (+19.7%). So far this year 20,218 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 12,659 (+59.7%) on the same period 2022.

In August, the car market share grew, with petrol retaining the largest share at 30.66%, Diesel accounting for 22.31%, Hybrid 18.83%, Electric 17.94%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 8.01%. Battery Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids now see their combined market share (year to date) at 45%. 

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: 

This year’s new car market has two notable features; the return to pre-pandemic sales levels and the ever increasing share of electric vehicles. EVs registered for the first eight months of the year have broken the 20,000 barrier. This should only be viewed as a start. We have yet to return to new car sales levels that will reduce the age of the national fleet. We need to see an even greater levels of EV sales, both new and used, if we want to get close to the Government’s Climate Action ambitions.

As a country we can’t control the international political and economic situation, however we can control our own local taxation and incentive regime. If we get this right, we can create a platform to give consumers and businesses more options to make better environmental choices. For this to happen, the Industry and its customers need stability and certainty. In this context, SIMI is calling on Government in the forthcoming Budget to extend current EV incentives and not to increase VRT. For consumers this means continuation of the SEAI grants and VRT relief on EVs, while for businesses an extension of the Benefit-in-Kind reliefs for three more years. In addition, there should be increased funding to support the national charging infrastructure. By doing this, we will see an increase in both the new car market and in EV sales, with the potential to create an active used EV market over the next couple of years. These measures would support Government in a number of ways; increase revenue from new car sales, protect employment and reduce emissions from the national fleet.”

 2023 Total New Vehicle Stats 

  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 112,729 v (2022) 95,269 +18.3% 
  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 112,729 v (2019) 110,527 +2.0% 
  • New Car sales total August (2023) 8,131 v (2022) 8,154 -0.3% 
  • New Car sales total August (2023) 8,131 v (2019) 5,088 +59.8%  
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 25,207 v (2022) 19,096 +32.0% 
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 25,207 v (2019) 21,904 +15.1% 
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total August (2023) 2,217 v (2022) 2,097 +5.7% 
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total August (2023) 2,217 v (2019) 1,890 +17.3% 
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 2,222 v (2022) 1,683 +32.0% 
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 2,222 v (2019) 1,832 +21.3% 
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales August (2023) 296 v (2022) 238 +24.4% 
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales August (2023) 296 v (2019) 124 +138.7% 
  • New Buses/ Coaches sales year to date (2023) 280 v (2022) 235+19.1% 
  • New Buses/ Coaches total sales August (2023) 13 v (2022) 11 +18.2% 
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 34,012 v (2022) 33,084 +2.8% 
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 34,012 v (2019) 72,214 -52.9% 
  • Used Car Imports total August (2023) 4,578 v (2022) 4,769 -4% 
  • Used Car Imports total August (2023) 4,578 v (2019) 9,706 -52.8% 
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 20,218 v (2022) 12,659 +59.7% 
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 20,218 v (2019) 2,859 +607.2%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales August (2023) 1,776 v (2022) 1,484 +19.68% 
  • New Electric Vehicles sales August (2023) 1,766 v (2019) 172 +932.6% 
  • 5 Top Selling Car Brands 2023 were: 1. TOYOTA, 2. VOLKSWAGEN, 3. HYUNDAI, 4. SKODA, 5.KIA 
  • 5 Top Car Model’s year 2023 were: 1. HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2.KIA SPORTAGE,3. TOYOTA COROLLA, 4. TOYOTA YARIS CROSS, 5. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 
  • Top 5 Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Car Brands 2023: 1. VOLKSWAGEN, 2. TESLA, 3. HYUNDAI, 4. KIA, 5.MG 
  • Top 5 Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Models 2023: 1. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 2. TESLA MODEL Y, 3. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5, 4. SKODA ENYAQ, 5. MG MG4 
  • Top Selling Car (August) 2023: HYUNDAI TUCSON 
  • Top Selling Electric Car (August) 2023: TESLA MODEL 3 
  • Market share by engine type 2023 (YTD): Petrol 30.66%, Diesel 22.31%, Hybrid 18.83%, Electric 17.94%, Plug-In Hybrid 8.01% 
  • Market share by engine type 2023 (August): Diesel 25.47%, Petrol 24.41%, Electric 24.48%, Hybrid 14.17%, Plug-In Hybrid 12.40%

Tables below shows total new car registrations by county and total new Electric car registrations by county 2023.

Visit https://stats.beepbeep.ie/ for full stats info

New Car Registrations by County 2023 (January- August)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 % Share

Carlow

1197

1086

10.22

1.06

1.14

Cavan

1182

990

19.39

1.05

1.04

Clare

2232

1942

14.93

1.98

2.04

Cork

12854

11993

7.18

11.4

12.59

Donegal

2396

2323

3.14

2.13

2.44

Dublin

49073

37014

32.58

43.53

38.85

Galway

4481

4082

9.77

3.98

4.28

Kerry

2295

2136

7.44

2.04

2.24

Kildare

4797

4209

13.97

4.26

4.42

Kilkenny

1929

1786

8.01

1.71

1.87

Laois

1261

1148

9.84

1.12

1.21

Leitrim

417

390

6.92

0.37

0.41

Limerick

3552

3278

8.36

3.15

3.44

Longford

500

475

5.26

0.44

0.5

Louth

2477

2240

10.58

2.2

2.35

Mayo

1918

1775

8.06

1.7

1.86

Meath

3848

3331

15.52

3.41

3.5

Monaghan

872

759

14.89

0.77

0.8

Offaly

1224

1112

10.07

1.09

1.17

Roscommon

1070

920

16.3

0.95

0.97

Sligo

1035

964

7.37

0.92

1.01

Tipperary

2730

2523

8.2

2.42

2.65

Waterford

2609

2425

7.59

2.31

2.55

Westmeath

1547

1401

10.42

1.37

1.47

Wexford

2670

2657

0.49

2.37

2.79

Wicklow

2563

2310

10.95

2.27

2.42

New Electric Car Registrations by County 2023
(January-August)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 % Share

Carlow

199

117

70.09

0.98

0.92

Cavan

147

75

96

0.73

0.59

Clare

393

203

93.6

1.94

1.6

Cork

2089

1239

68.6

10.33

9.79

Donegal

281

189

48.68

1.39

1.49

Dublin

9416

5830

61.51

46.57

46.05

Galway

752

520

44.62

3.72

4.11

Kerry

297

205

44.88

1.47

1.62

Kildare

1142

683

67.2

5.65

5.4

Kilkenny

264

188

40.43

1.31

1.49

Laois

196

134

46.27

0.97

1.06

Leitrim

57

37

54.05

0.28

0.29

Limerick

541

354

52.82

2.68

2.8

Longford

70

38

84.21

0.35

0.3

Louth

414

228

81.58

2.05

1.8

Mayo

236

184

28.26

1.17

1.45

Meath

934

558

67.38

4.62

4.41

Monaghan

85

48

77.08

0.42

0.38

Offaly

150

102

47.06

0.74

0.81

Roscommon

118

87

35.63

0.58

0.69

Sligo

157

135

16.3

0.78

1.07

Tipperary

353

282

25.18

1.75

2.23

Waterford

384

248

54.84

1.9

1.96

Westmeath

254

171

48.54

1.26

1.35

Wexford

476

317

50.16

2.35

2.5

Wicklow

813

487

66.94

4.02

3.85