Electric cars top Irish sales in June as Tesla Model 3 leads booming EV market

Electric vehicles accounted for over half of all new cars sold in June, with Tesla and Volkswagen leading the charge

The top-selling car in June was an electric vehicle, the Tesla Model 3. (AP Photo/David Zalubowsi, File)

Over half of the new cars registered during the traditionally slow month of June were electric, as the total number of new cars sold rose by 63.5%, according to new data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

June was the last month for the 251 licence plate, and as a result, many customers held off on purchases until July, when the 252 plates were issued.

According to the data, 2,441 new cars were registered last month — up from 1,493 in June of last year. In July 2024, 25,726 new cars were registered.

Last month, 1,246 new electric cars were registered, representing an 81.9% year-on-year increase.

The top-selling car in June was an electric vehicle, the Tesla Model 3.

Tesla sales have been falling across Europe for months due to backlash against the company’s CEO, Elon Musk. However, there are some tentative signs that this trend may be reversing.

Tesla sales rose in Norway and Spain during June, an early indication that buyers are responding to the revamped Model Y. However, sales declined for the sixth consecutive month in Sweden and Denmark, highlighting the ongoing challenges the company faces.

In Ireland, 1,054 new light commercial vehicles were registered, up 54.1%, while registrations of heavy goods vehicles increased by 3.2% to 128.

Director-general of SIMI Brian Cooke: 'Electric vehicles represent nearly 17% of new cars sold this year. While this is clearly a positive development, it should be highlighted that EV sales are behind 2023 levels, and extension of Government support is still vital in the establishment of the electric vehicle market.'

Registrations of imported used cars rose by 10.6% to 5,713 during the month.

In the first half of the year, year-to-date new car registrations rose by 3.5% to 81,750, compared to the same period in 2024. So far this year, 13,631 new electric cars have been registered, a 27% increase.

SIMI Director General Brian Cooke said the “most notable statistic” for the first half of the year had been the consistent growth in battery electric vehicle sales.

“Electric vehicles represent nearly 17% of new cars sold this year. While this is clearly a positive development, it should be highlighted that EV sales are behind 2023 levels, and extension of Government support is still vital in the establishment of the electric vehicle market.” 

So far this year, petrol cars made up 27.23% of all cars sold, while petrol-hybrid cars accounted for 22.77%. Diesel cars made up 17.26% of the market, with electric, plug-in electric, and electric hybrids comprising the remainder.

Toyota is the top-selling car brand so far in 2025, followed by Volkswagen and Hyundai. The top-selling car model is the Hyundai Tucson, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and the Toyota Yaris Cross.

The top-selling electric car this year is the Volkswagen ID.4, followed by the Tesla Model 3 and the Kia EV3.

Additional reporting Reuters