Electric & Hybrid Vehicles combine for over 50% of May new car market

01/06/2023

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 231 new vehicle registrations statistics for May.

New car registrations for the month of May were up 42.7% (7,557) when compared to May 2022 (5,295). Registrations year to date are up 18.2% (74,542) on the same period last year (63,057).

Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are up 76.2% (2,528) compared to May last year (1,435) and year to date are up 31.1% (16,255). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are also showing an increase of 11.9% (217) in comparison to May 2022 (194). Year to date HGV's are up 35.6% (1,424).

Imported Used Cars seen a 14.9% (4,486) increase in May 2023, when compared to May 2022 (3,905). Year to date imports are up 5.2% (20,797) on 2022 (19,766).

For the month of May 1,725 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 743 in May 2022 (+132.2). So far this year 12,875 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to +56% (8,258) on the same period 2022.

Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids continue to increase their market share, with a combined market share (year to date) now of 42.74%. Petrol remains dominant at 32.36%, with Diesel accounting for 22.17%, Hybrid 17.51%, Electric 17.27% and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 7.96%. 

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: 

New car sales increased again in May when compared to the same month last year, and now new cars sales are edging closer to Pre-COVID levels. Some easing of supply difficulties has resulted in improvement in delivery times, and this has led to a significant growth particularly in Electric Vehicle (EV) registrations. Year to date EV sales are now 56% ahead of last year, representing over 17% of the new car market. During the month of May nearly one-in-four new cars sold were electric, outperforming diesel sales for the month. Further analysis of the registrations highlights that when we combine Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) and Hybrids, which use battery technology for driving, they account for over 50% of the new car market for May. Commercial vehicle registrations both the heavy and light sectors, also demonstrated strong growth during the month.

2023 Total New Vehicle Stats

  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 74,542 v (2022) 63,057 +18.2%
  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 74,542 v (2019) 79,350 -6.06%
  • New Car sales total May (2023) 7,557 v (2022) 5,295 +42.7%
  • New Car sales total May (2023) 7,557 v (2019) 6,320 +19.57%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 16,255 v (2022) 12,395 +31.1%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 16,255 v (2019) 14,570 +11.6%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2023) 2,528 v (2022) 1,435 +76.2%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2023) 2,528 v (2019) 1,717 +47.2%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 1,424 v (2022) 1,050 +35.6%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 1,424 v (2019) 1,209 +17.8%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2023) 217 v (2022) 194 +11.9%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2023) 217 v (2019) 222 -2.3%
  • New Buses/ Coaches sales year to date (2023) 195 v (2022) 193 +1.0%
  • New Buses/ Coaches total sales May (2023) 38 v (2022) 24 +58.3%
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 20,797 v (2022) 19,766 +5.2%
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 20,797 v (2019) 45,066 -53.9%
  • Used Car Imports total May (2023) 4,486 v (2022) 3,905 +14.9%
  • Used Car Imports total May (2023) 4,486 v (2019) 9,347 -52.0%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 12,875 v (2022) 8,258 +56%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 12,875 v (2019) 1,901 +577.28%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales May (2023) 1,725 v (2022) 743 +132.2%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales May (2023) 1,725 v (2019) 171 +908.77%
  • 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. HYUNDAI, 3. TESLA, 
    4. KIA, 5. BMW
  • Top 5 Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) models 2023: 1. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 2. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5, 3. TESLA MODEL Y, 4. SKODA ENYAQ, 5. KIA EV6
  • Top Selling Car (May) 2023: TOYOTA COROLLA
  • Top Selling Electric Car (May) 2023: VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
  • Market share by engine type 2023 (YTD): Petrol 32.36%, Diesel 22.17%, Hybrid 17.51%, Electric 17.27%, Plug-In Hybrid 7.96%

Tables below shows total new car registrations by county for May 2023. and total new electric car registrations by county

New Car Registrations by County 2023 (January-May)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 % Share

Carlow

785

732

7.24

1.05

1.16

Cavan

782

673

16.2

1.05

1.07

Clare

1510

1303

15.89

2.03

2.07

Cork

8538

8058

5.96

11.45

12.78

Donegal

1564

1520

2.89

2.1

2.41

Dublin

32265

23756

35.82

43.28

37.67

Galway

2959

2788

6.13

3.97

4.42

Kerry

1505

1395

7.89

2.02

2.21

Kildare

3121

2869

8.78

4.19

4.55

Kilkenny

1281

1219

5.09

1.72

1.93

Laois

857

787

8.89

1.15

1.25

Leitrim

287

263

9.13

0.39

0.42

Limerick

2393

2155

11.04

3.21

3.42

Longford

334

340

-1.76

0.45

0.54

Louth

1618

1515

6.8

2.17

2.4

Mayo

1286

1173

9.63

1.73

1.86

Meath

2516

2280

10.35

3.38

3.62

Monaghan

572

523

9.37

0.77

0.83

Offaly

756

766

-1.31

1.01

1.21

Roscommon

722

614

17.59

0.97

0.97

Sligo

669

667

0.3

0.9

1.06

Tipperary

1847

1769

4.41

2.48

2.81

Waterford

1879

1595

17.81

2.52

2.53

Westmeath

990

931

6.34

1.33

1.48

Wexford

1822

1817

0.28

2.44

2.88

Wicklow

1684

1549

8.72

2.26

2.46

 

New Electric Vehicle Registrations by County 2023
(January-May)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 % Share

Carlow

123

72

70.83

0.96

0.87

Cavan

97

55

76.36

0.75

0.67

Clare

245

123

99.19

1.9

1.49

Cork

1366

805

69.69

10.61

9.75

Donegal

180

110

63.64

1.4

1.33

Dublin

5972

3755

59.04

46.38

45.47

Galway

491

354

38.7

3.81

4.29

Kerry

197

143

37.76

1.53

1.73

Kildare

702

474

48.1

5.45

5.74

Kilkenny

174

122

42.62

1.35

1.48

Laois

123

91

35.16

0.96

1.1

Leitrim

36

26

38.46

0.28

0.31

Limerick

335

215

55.81

2.6

2.6

Longford

42

27

55.56

0.33

0.33

Louth

253

152

66.45

1.97

1.84

Mayo

156

121

28.93

1.21

1.47

Meath

575

369

55.83

4.47

4.47

Monaghan

53

25

112

0.41

0.3

Offaly

82

70

17.14

0.64

0.85

Roscommon

83

48

72.92

0.64

0.58

Sligo

98

94

4.26

0.76

1.14

Tipperary

238

195

22.05

1.85

2.36

Waterford

253

168

50.6

1.97

2.03

Westmeath

172

114

50.88

1.34

1.38

Wexford

321

218

47.25

2.49

2.64

Wicklow

508

312

62.82

3.95

3.78