Electric and hybrid vehicles make up over 20% of car sales 

Twas the most popular make of new private cars licensed in May 2022, the Japanese car company had 1,033 cars licensed in Ireland last month. Picture: AP Photo/Koji Sasahara

Electric and hybrid vehicles now account for over 20% of car sales in the first five months of this year, figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today revealed.

The number of electric and hybrid vehicles licensed in the first five months of 2022 was more than double the quantity sold during the same period last year.

7,825 electric and hybrid vehicles were licensed between January and May 2022, up from 3,678 from January to May 2021.

Overall, the quantity of new cars licensed in May 2022 fell by 217, a decline of 3%, vehicles compared with May 2021.

In the first five months of 2022, 26% of new private cars licensed were diesel, compared with 37% in the same period in 2021.

There was also a decrease of 2,403 used private cars licensed in May 2022 compared with May 2021, a decline of 37%.

The declines in licensing also extended to used cars. From January to May 2022 the number of used cars licensed decreased by 43% from the same period last year. 

Similarly, the number of used (imported) diesel private cars licensed in the first five months of 2022, fell to 7,307 compared with 20,057 cars licensed in the same period in 2021.

Toyota was the most popular make of new private cars licensed in May 2022, the Japanese car company had 1,033 cars licensed in Ireland last month. This was followed by Volkswagen (896), Hyundai (876), Skoda (507) and BMW (439). 

These five car companies represent 53% of all new private cars licensed in Ireland last month.

Nele van der Wielen, Statistician, CSO said: “Today’s figures from the CSO show the continued growth in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles licensed in Ireland. The number of new electric cars licensed has more than doubled from 3,678 in the first five months of 2021 to 7,825 in 2022. 

"At the same time, the number of new diesel cars is decreasing. For the first five months of 2022, 15,419 new cars licensed were diesel cars compared with 20,032 in the same period in 2021.”