Tesla very happy despite initial low Irish car numbers

Electric car maker Tesla claims its Irish-based sales team is “very busy” despite official figures showing only two registrations have been made since the company opened its first Irish sales outlet and showroom in Sandyford, South Dublin, towards the end of April.

The number of registered Tesla models on Irish roads currently stands at 14. Latest figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show two Tesla registrations have taken place this year — one in April and one in May.

However, the spokeswoman for the Nasdaq-quoted company said the registrations do not relate to sales from the new Tesla store here. Those registration figures will not become apparent until later this year as the company said “our cars are custom ordered and built in the US; therefore there is at least a four month delivery time”.

“The registration figures are likely to be orders from before the opening — there are cars in the Irish market through our website and delivered to the customer in Tilburg, our EU distribution site, or the UK, before we opened in Ireland,” the spokeswoman said.

“We actually don’t comment or give regional or national figures for orders, sales or deliveries,” she said, but added “the team in Ireland is very busy”.

The registration of two Tesla models in Ireland so far this year follows on from the registration of seven models last year, two in 2015, and three in 2014. As part of its move into Ireland, Tesla is planning supercharger stations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Belfast, allowing owners to charge their cars for free.

A Tesla Model S will cost Irish drivers upwards of €81,086 and can travel up to 270km on a 30-minute charge.

The Model X SUV is priced from €110,042 in Ireland. Last year, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland warned that one in five cars sold here needs to be electric by 2020 if Ireland is to hit its renewable energy targets and avoid fines of up to €130m.