New Car Registrations down 15% in May 2024

04/06/2024

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 241 new vehicle registrations statistics for May.

New car registrations for May were down 15% (6,407) when compared to May 2023 (7,545). Registrations year to date are up 3.8% (77,453) on the same period last year (74,612). 

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) declined by 22.3% (1,950) compared to May last year (2,511). Year to date LCVs are up 21.3% (19,543). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are up 24.4% (265) in comparison to May 2023 (213). Year to date HGVs are up 20.2% (1,707).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 22.9% (5,514) rise in May 2024, when compared to May 2023 (4,486). Year to date imports are up 26.0% (26,207) on 2023 (20,797).

In May 1,044 new electric cars were registered, which was 39.1% lower than the 1,715 registrations in May 2023. So far this year, 10,062 new electric cars have been registered which is a 21.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2023 when 12,875 electric cars were registered.

In the new car market share by engine type for 2024, Petrol cars continue to lead the new car market at 33.30% followed by Diesel at 23.06%, then Hybrid (Petrol Electric) at 20.18%, Electric at 12.99%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 8.86%.

Brian Cooke Director General SIMI

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: 

“New car registrations show a 15% decline for May when compared to the same month last year. Year to date, new car sales remain 4% ahead of 2023. While sales of light commercial vehicles decreased by 22% in May, registrations for light and heavy commercial vehicles remain strong so far this year. Electric cars have seen a fourth consecutive month of decline in sales. The number of electric cars registered last month was 1,044, which is a decrease from the 1,715 registrations in May 2023. The EV share of the market now stands at 13%, which is down from 17% on last year, and is in line with 2022 market share. With the private consumer being the driver of EV sales in Ireland, we need to re-focus our efforts on these buyers; they need greater reassurances on their EV investment, which includes as a minimum the extension of current incentives and delivery on an electric charging infrastructure. We also need to encourage the company car market, where Ireland has been lagging behind other markets, and delay the phasing out of the BIK concession until such time as EVs become firmly established.”

2024 Total New Vehicle Stats

• New Car sales total year to date (2024) 77,453 v (2023) 74,612 +3.8% 
• New Car sales total year to date (2024) 77,453 v (2019) 79,350 -2.4% 
• New Car sales total May (2024) 6,407 v (2023) 7,545 -15%  
• New Car sales total May (2024) 6,407 v (2019) 6,320 +1.4%  
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2024) 19,543 v (2023) 16,107 +21.3% 
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2024) 19,543 v (2019) 14,570 +34.1% 
• New Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2024) 1,950 v (2023) 2,511 -22.3% 
• New Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2024) 1,950 v (2019) 1,717 +13.6% 
• Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2024) 1,707 v (2023) 1,420 +20.2% 
• Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2024) 1,707 v (2019) 1,209 +41.2% 
• New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2024) 265 v (2023) 213 +24.4% 
• New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2024) 265 v (2019) 222 +19.4% 
• New Buses/ Coaches sales year to date (2024) 426 v (2023) 195 +118.5% 
• New Buses/ Coaches total sales May (2024) 105 v (2023) 38 +176.3% 
• Used Car Imports total year to date (2024) 26,207 v (2023) 20,797 +26.0% 
• Used Car Imports total year to date (2024) 26,207 v (2019) 45,066 -41.8% 
• Used Car Imports total May (2024) 5,514 v (2023) 4,486 +22.9% 
• Used Car Imports total May (2024) 5,514 v (2019) 9,347 -41.0% 
• New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2024) 10,062 v (2023) 12,875 -21.8% 
• New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2024) 10,062 v (2019) 1,901 +429.3% 
• New Electric Vehicles sales total May (2024) 1,044 v (2023) 1,715 -39.1% 
• New Electric Vehicles sales total May (2024) 1,044 v (2019) 171 +510.5% 
• 5 Top Selling New Car Brands 2024 were: 1.TOYOTA, 2.VOLKSWAGEN, 3.SKODA, 4.HYUNDAI, 5.KIA  
• 5 Top New Car Model’s 2024 were: 1.HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2. SKODA OCTAVIA, 3. KIA SPORTAGE, 4. TOYOTA RAV 4, 5. TOYOTA YARIS CROSS 
• 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Brands 2024: 1.VOLKSWAGEN, 2.TESLA, 3.HYUNDAI, 4. BYD, 5.KIA 
• 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicle Models (EVs) 2024: 1.VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 2.TESLA MODEL Y, 3.HYUNDAI KONA, 4.TESLA MODEL 3, 5.MG MG4 
• Top Selling Car (May) 2024: DACIA SANDERO 
• Top Selling Electric Car (May) 2024: TESLA MODEL Y 
• Market share by engine type 2024: Petrol 33.30%, Diesel 23.06%, Hybrid (Petrol Electric) 20.18%, Electric 12.99%, Plug-In Electric Hybrid 8.86% 
• Tables below shows total new car registrations by county 2024 and total new Electric car registrations by county 2024.  

New Car Registrations by County 2024
(January-May)

County

2024 Units

2023 Units

% Change

2024 % Share

2023 % Share

Carlow

756

785

-3.69

0.98

1.05

Cavan

804

783

2.68

1.04

1.05

Clare

1576

1511

4.3

2.03

2.03

Cork

8614

8544

0.82

11.12

11.45

Donegal

1699

1569

8.29

2.19

2.1

Dublin

34338

32292

6.34

44.33

43.28

Galway

2965

2963

0.07

3.83

3.97

Kerry

1595

1506

5.91

2.06

2.02

Kildare

3361

3125

7.55

4.34

4.19

Kilkenny

1309

1284

1.95

1.69

1.72

Laois

925

860

7.56

1.19

1.15

Leitrim

318

288

10.42

0.41

0.39

Limerick

2462

2392

2.93

3.18

3.21

Longford

360

333

8.11

0.46

0.45

Louth

1695

1617

4.82

2.19

2.17

Mayo

1276

1291

-1.16

1.65

1.73

Meath

2486

2518

-1.27

3.21

3.37

Monaghan

626

573

9.25

0.81

0.77

Offaly

819

757

8.19

1.06

1.01

Roscommon

729

721

1.11

0.94

0.97

Sligo

745

668

11.53

0.96

0.9

Tipperary

1849

1854

-0.27

2.39

2.48

Waterford

1601

1880

-14.84

2.07

2.52

Westmeath

1054

991

6.36

1.36

1.33

Wexford

1838

1822

0.88

2.37

2.44

Wicklow

1653

1685

-1.9

2.13

2.26

New Electric Car Registrations by County 2024
(January-May)

County

2024 Units

2023 Units

% Change

2024 % Share

2023 % Share

Carlow

77

123

-37.4

0.77

0.96

Cavan

46

97

-52.58

0.46

0.75

Clare

139

242

-42.56

1.38

1.88

Cork

940

1367

-31.24

9.34

10.62

Donegal

129

180

-28.33

1.28

1.4

Dublin

5116

5973

-14.35

50.84

46.39

Galway

301

492

-38.82

2.99

3.82

Kerry

126

197

-36.04

1.25

1.53

Kildare

570

704

-19.03

5.66

5.47

Kilkenny

141

174

-18.97

1.4

1.35

Laois

116

123

-5.69

1.15

0.96

Leitrim

26

36

-27.78

0.26

0.28

Limerick

246

334

-26.35

2.44

2.59

Longford

31

42

-26.19

0.31

0.33

Louth

214

253

-15.42

2.13

1.97

Mayo

88

156

-43.59

0.87

1.21

Meath

408

575

-29.04

4.05

4.47

Monaghan

38

53

-28.3

0.38

0.41

Offaly

65

82

-20.73

0.65

0.64

Roscommon

59

82

-28.05

0.59

0.64

Sligo

68

97

-29.9

0.68

0.75

Tipperary

124

238

-47.9

1.23

1.85

Waterford

236

253

-6.72

2.35

1.97

Westmeath

109

173

-36.99

1.08

1.34

Wexford

283

321

-11.84

2.81

2.49

Wicklow

366

508

-27.95

3.64

3.95