New Car Registrations Up 25% in February 2024

01/03/2024

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

New car registrations for February were up 25% (16,455) when compared to February 2023 (13,122). Registrations year to date are up 18.3% (47,882) on the same period last year (40,466). 

Light Commercial vehicles (LCVs) increased by 36.8% (3,515) compared to February last year (2,569). Year to date LCVs are up 35.6% (10,987). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are up 14.2% (305) in comparison to February 2023 (267). Year to date HGVs are up 10.3% (763).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 24% (4,945) rise in February 2024, when compared to February 2023 (3,989). Year to date imports are up 32.1% (10,270) on 2023 (7,775).

In February 1,866 new electric cars were registered, which was 15.5% lower than the 2,207 registrations in February 2023. So far this year 5,968 new electric cars have been registered which is a 1.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023 when 5,885 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 32.97%. Diesel is next at 23.76%, then Hybrid (Petrol Electric) at 21.51%, Electric at 12.46%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 7.76%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting:

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: 

"New car registrations for February show a 25% increase on the same month last year, and year to date are now 18% ahead of 2023. Supply chain issues prevalent at the start of 2023 are no longer impacting on sales. Registrations of light commercial vehicles also show a positive start to the year, up over a third on last year. Electric vehicle (EVs) registrations are down on February last year and are only marginally ahead of the first two months of 2023.

This slowing down in EV sales is not unique to Ireland and is reflective of other new car markets. It is typical of the life cycle in the adaption of any new technology, where there is a gap between early adapters and the early majority consumers. This is happening at a time when we need to accelerate the growth in EV sales. The electrification of the car fleet is strategically important. It will cut transport emissions and shape the future of the Motor Industry. To speed up the move to EVs in the wider motoring public, the Industry and Government must keep working together. For the Industry, this means the rolling out of more EV models. For Government, it means extending incentives and investing in the national charging infrastructure.”

2024 Total New Vehicle Stats

• New Car sales total year to date (2024) 47,882 v (2023) 40,466 +18.3%
• New Car sales total year to date (2024) 47,882 v (2019) 47,439 +0.9%
• New Car sales total February (2024) 16,455 v (2023) 13,122 +25%
• New Car sales total February (2024) 16,455 v (2019) 15,069 +9.2% 
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2024) 10,987 v (2023) 8,104 +35.6%
• Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2024) 10,987 v (2019) 8,013 +37.1%
• New Light Commercial Vehicles sales total February (2024) 3,515 v (2023) 2,569 +36.8%
• New Light Commercial Vehicles sales total February (2024) 3,515 v (2019) 2,465 +42.6%
• Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2024) 763 v (2023) 692 +10.3%
• Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2024) 763 v (2019) 535 +42.6%
• New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales February (2024) 305 v (2023) 267 +14.2%
• New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales February (2024) 305 v (2019) 241 +26.6%
• New Buses/ Coaches sales year to date (2024) 162 v (2023) 89 +82%
• New Buses/ Coaches total sales February (2024) 91 v (2023) 52 +75%
• Used Car Imports total year to date (2024) 10,270 v (2023) 7,775 +32.1%
• Used Car Imports total year to date (2024) 10,270 v (2019) 17,862 -42.5%
• Used Car Imports total February (2024) 4,945 v (2023) 3,989 +24%
• Used Car Imports total February (2024) 4,945 v (2019) 8,859 -44.2%
• New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2024) 5,968 v (2023) 5,885 +1.4%
• New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2024) 5,968 v (2019) 1,124 +431.0%
• New Electric Vehicles sales total February (2024) 1,866 v (2023) 2,207 -15.5%
• New Electric Vehicles sales total February (2024) 1,866 v (2019) 325 +474.2%
• 5 Top Selling New Car Brands 2024 were: 1. TOYOTA 2. SKODA 3. HYUNDAI 4.VOLKSWAGEN 5. KIA 
• 5 Top New Car Model’s 2024 were: 1. HYUNDAI TUCSON,2.KIA SPORTAGE, 3.SKODA OCTAVIA, 4.TOYOTA RAV 4, 5.TOYOTA YARIS CROSS
• 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Brands 2024: 1. VOLKSWAGEN, 2. HYUNDAI, 3.BYD, 4.KIA, 5.MG       
• 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicle Models (EVs) 2024: 1. HYUNDAI KONA, 2. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 3. MG MG4,4. BYD SEAL, 5. VOLKSWAGEN ID.3
• Top Selling Car (February) 2024: SKODA OCTAVIA
• Top Selling Electric Car (February) 2024: TESLA MODEL 3
• Market share by engine type 2024: Petrol 32.97%, Diesel 23.76% Hybrid (Petrol Electric) 21.51%, Electric 12.46%, Plug-In Hybrid 7.76%
• 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- February)

County

2024 Units

2023 Units

% Change

2024 % Share

2023 % Share

Carlow

557

469

18.76

1.16

1.16

Cavan

566

487

16.22

1.18

1.2

Clare

1021

897

13.82

2.13

2.22

Cork

5565

4995

11.41

11.62

12.34

Donegal

1127

943

19.51

2.35

2.33

Dublin

19010

15661

21.38

39.7

38.7

Galway

1918

1716

11.77

4.01

4.24

Kerry

1077

908

18.61

2.25

2.24

Kildare

2227

1777

25.32

4.65

4.39

Kilkenny

918

756

21.43

1.92

1.87

Laois

652

503

29.62

1.36

1.24

Leitrim

209

155

34.84

0.44

0.38

Limerick

1624

1456

11.54

3.39

3.6

Longford

268

193

38.86

0.56

0.48

Louth

1156

970

19.18

2.41

2.4

Mayo

850

729

16.6

1.78

1.8

Meath

1694

1436

17.97

3.54

3.55

Monaghan

426

349

22.06

0.89

0.86

Offaly

573

484

18.39

1.2

1.2

Roscommon

481

408

17.89

1

1.01

Sligo

489

396

23.48

1.02

0.98

Tipperary

1290

1132

13.96

2.69

2.8

Waterford

1099

992

10.79

2.3

2.45

Westmeath

712

607

17.3

1.49

1.5

Wexford

1248

1082

15.34

2.61

2.67

Wicklow

1125

965

16.58

2.35

2.38

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

County

2024 Units

2023 Units

% Change

2024 % Share

2023 % Share

Carlow

46

62

-25.81

0.77

1.05

Cavan

28

45

-37.78

0.47

0.76

Clare

84

107

-21.5

1.41

1.82

Cork

619

644

-3.88

10.37

10.94

Donegal

92

89

3.37

1.54

1.51

Dublin

2852

2562

11.32

47.79

43.53

Galway

196

234

-16.24

3.28

3.98

Kerry

75

98

-23.47

1.26

1.67

Kildare

342

315

8.57

5.73

5.35

Kilkenny

79

79

0

1.32

1.34

Laois

81

59

37.29

1.36

1

Leitrim

17

18

-5.56

0.28

0.31

Limerick

144

172

-16.28

2.41

2.92

Longford

23

14

64.29

0.39

0.24

Louth

136

127

7.09

2.28

2.16

Mayo

58

80

-27.5

0.97

1.36

Meath

261

275

-5.09

4.37

4.67

Monaghan

25

21

19.05

0.42

0.36

Offaly

36

51

-29.41

0.6

0.87

Roscommon

30

36

-16.67

0.5

0.61

Sligo

50

57

-12.28

0.84

0.97

Tipperary

83

132

-37.12

1.39

2.24

Waterford

144

123

17.07

2.41

2.09

Westmeath

71

86

-17.44

1.19

1.46

Wexford

174

160

8.75

2.92

2.72

Wicklow

222

239

-7.11

3.72

4.06