Electric car sales rise while overall market "drags"

Although there is a heightened interest in more eco-friendly cars, new car registrations in general have dropped significantly compared with 2019 figures.

The sale of electric cars year-to-date has gone up almost 100%, according to latest figures by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi).

There have been 8,444 electric cars sold year-to-date, compared with 4,330 electric cars during the same period in 2021.

“In this environment it is vital that government continues to incentivise electric vehicles by extending current supports, and also refrain from any further taxation increases which will only suppress demand hampering our ability to decarbonise the national fleet,” said Simi’s director general Brian Cooke.

Although there is a heightened interest in more eco-friendly cars, new car registrations in general have dropped significantly compared with 2019 figures.

New car registrations for last month were down 22% to 2,154 when compared to June 2021.

Registrations year-to-date are up slightly by 2% to 65,176 on the same period last year but are 19% below pre-Covid levels.

"Despite pent-up demand following two years of interrupted business, new car sales continue to drag due to supply constraints. While the supply issues will start to unwind in the short term, we now have the spectre of inflation and global political uncertainty,” said Mr Cooke.

"These have the potential to dampen new car demand at this critical juncture in reducing transport emissions," he said.