Tesla sales surge 32% in Munster but slide in Dublin

Overall electric vehicle sales in Ireland up 57% this year, says Society of the Irish Motor Industry

Sales of Elon Musk's Tesla brand were down 8% last month but are up 32% in Munster, new figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi) show.

Sales of Elon Musk's Tesla brand were down 8% last month but are up 32% in Munster, new figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi) show.

Overall, Tesla sales are down 4.4% for the year with 1,719 vehicles sold this year. The brand has enjoyed strong sales in Munster, up 32% so far this year, with the brand selling 219 cars in Cork alone, and notable sales hikes in Limerick (up 67%), and Tipperary (up 78%). This contrasts with sales in the biggest market in Ireland, Dublin, where sales of Mr Musk's brand are down 14%.

Tesla sales have dropped by over a third in Europe in the first six months of the year. Registrations fell 86% year-on-year in July in Sweden, 52% in Denmark, 27% in France and 62% in the Netherlands, but Norway and Spain bucked the trend, with Tesla's registrations up 83% and 27% respectively.

The world’s largest electric vehicle maker, Chinese brand BYD, saw its global vehicle production fell 0.9% in July from a year earlier, ending a 16-month growth streak. However its Irish registrations were up 96% in July.

Sales of electric vehicles (EVs)in Ireland were up 33% last month, with overall new car registrations up 4.3%, Simi data shows. New car registrations for July were up 4.3% (26,787) compared to July 2024 (25,676). Registrations year to date are up 3.7% (108,531) on the same period last year (104,655).

The top selling new car last month was the Hyandai Tucson. The top five selling car brands were Toyota, followed by Volkswagen, Hyandai, Skoda, and Kia. 

In July 4,913 new electric cars (battery electric cars) were registered, which was 57% higher than the 3,129 registrations in July 2024. So far this year, 18,542 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 33.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when 13,866 electric cars were registered.

"Notably, this means that we have surpassed the 175,000 EV target (battery electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle combined) for 2025 contained in the Government’s Climate Action Plan," said Simi director general Brian Cooke. "This important landmark on the road to electrification could not have been achieved without the significant levels of Government incentives. If we want to continue this momentum, these supports must be maintained and extended well beyond the end of this year."

The top selling electric car in Ireland in July was the Volkswagen ID4. The top selling electric brands were Volkswagen, Kia, Hyandai, Tesla, and Skoda.

In the new car market share by engine type for 2025, Petrol cars continue as the new car market leader at 26.90%, followed by Hybrid (Petrol Electric) at 22.72%, Diesel at 17.13%, Electric at 17.08%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 14.71%.

Imported Used Cars have seen a 16.8% (6,803) rise in July 2025, when compared to July 2024 (5,825). Year to date imports are up 9.4% (40,698) on 2024 (37,195).

New Light Commercial Vehicle (LCVs) sales increased by 22.8% (6,133) compared to July last year (4,995). Year to date LCVs are down 0.9% (24,945). Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) registrations are down 18.8% (380) compared to July 2024 (468). Year to date, HGVs are down 11.3% (2,028).

"Light Commercial Vehicle sales, which had been disappointing during Q1, have bounced back since then," said Mr Cooke. "The mixed results and market fluctuations in the commercial sector reflect the current economic and political uncertainty.”