Number of electric cars and hybrids licensed Ireland doubles in first three months of 2022

In the first three months of 2022, electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) represented 21% all new cars licensed in Ireland.

The share of new electric cars licensed in Ireland was more than doubled as figures jumped from 2,314 in Q1 of 2021 compared to 5,388 during the same period in 2022.

In the first three months of 2022, electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) represented 21% all new cars licensed in Ireland.

“This acceleration in electric vehicle (EV) sales is down to both the increase in the number of models now available for sale, and the SEAI Grants supporting their purchase,” the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) director general Brian Cooke recently stated.

Meanwhile, the number of new diesel cars is decreasing. For the first quarter of 2022, 10,609 new cars licensed were diesel cars compared with 14,266 in the same period in 2021.

In the first quarter of 2022, a total of 11,872 new private cars were licensed, an increase of 11% compared with March 2021. The number of used imported private cars licensed last March decreased by 41% compared with last years figures.

From January to March of this year, the number of used cars licensed was 11,517, 46% less than those licensed in the same period in 2021.

These are recent figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on vehicles licensed for the first time for March 2022. The numbers are based on the National Vehicle and Driver File compiled by the Department of Transport.