Hybrid car sales up 43% as electric car slump continues

The number of electric cars licensed for the first between January and June fell by 25% compared to the same period last year. 

The number of newly-licensed electric cars dropped by 25% during the first six months of the year as hybrid cars surged in popularity, new figures from the Central Statistics Office shows.

Between January and June, there were 10,344 electric cars licensed for the first time which is down from 13,701 during the same period in 2023. Over the same months, the number of petrol and electric hybrid cars licensed increased by 43% to 15,182.

The proportion of all new cars licensed for the first time which are electric has dropped to 14% from 19% last year.

During the first six months of the year, there were over 106,000 cars licensed of which 75,719 were new cars. Of this, over 25,000 were petrol cars and nearly 17,500 were diesel cars.

The most popular brand of new car in this period was Toyota with over 11,000 sold.

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New electric cars licensed in the first six months of 2024 decreased by 25% compared with the same period last year.https://t.co/QaqlaW26Jm#CSOIreland #Ireland #IrishTransport #TransportIreland #Transport #VehicleLicensing #NewVehicle #Business #BusinessStatistics pic.twitter.com/iHI4usFGtY

— Central Statistics Office Ireland (@CSOIreland) July 11, 2024

The continued downturn in the electric car market comes as various car companies adjust to new EU tariffs placed on electric car imports from China.

Tesla has since raised prices in its Model 3 cars in European countries. In June, the Model 3 was the best-selling electric car in Ireland with 249 sold.

Tesla said prices on the car, which is made in Shanghai and is the top exporter of EVs from China, will increase by €1,500.

The tariffs, which are provisional and will be applied until the European Commission decides whether to apply final duties by November, are up to 37.6%. 

Tesla co-operated with the EU's investigation and so was given a 20.8% tariff.

Additional reporting Reuters