New car registrations fell 8.8% in May but EV sales rise again 

Sales of Elon Musk's Tesla vehicles down on 2024

Sales of battery electric vehicles were up 5.3% during May, with 1,092 new electric cars registered. The most popular EV sold in May was the Hyandai Inster.

New car registrations fell 8.8% last month compared to May 2024, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) said, though EV sales continue an upward trend.

There were 5,832 cars registered in May 2025, compared to 6,398 last year. Registrations year to date are up 2.4% (79,301) on the same period last year (77,461). The most popular selling car in May was the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Sales of battery electric vehicles (EVs) were up 5.3% during May, with 1,092 new electric cars registered, compared to 1,037 registrations in May 2024. The most popular EV sold in May was the Hyandai Inster.

So far this year, 12,392 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 23.3% increase on the year to date in 2024, when 10,052 electric cars were registered.

Elon Musk’s Tesla sales were down 60% compared to May 2024, with 91 units sold over the month compared to 237 in May 2024, with sales of the brand’s Model Y down over 50%, though sales of its Model 3 are up 43%. Mr Musk’s political links to Donald Trump have seen Tesla sales across Europe fall significantly in recent months, though Irish sales had remained robust. Tesla has sold 993 units to date in Ireland this year compared to 1,085 in 2024. Last week, Mr Musk announced he was stepping away from the US Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which has slashed budgets at several US government agencies.

Tesla is the fourth highest EV seller by brand this year, behind Volkswagen, Kia, and Hyandai, and just ahead of Chinese EV maker BYD. The Tesla Model 3 is the third highest selling EV, behind the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Kia EV3.

May was the fifth consecutive month that EV sales have increased on 2024, said SIMI director general Brian Cooke, with over 12,300 new electric cars sold so far this year, representing a 23% increase on last year. "While we are now on schedule to reach the interim Climate Action Plan target of 175,000 electric cars by the end of this year, as highlighted by the EPA recently, we need to do more to accelerate the growth in EV sales between now and the end of the decade,” said Mr Cooke.

User car imports were up 7.9% (5,949) in May 2025, compared to May 2024 (5,513). Year to date imports are up 7.5% (28,184) on 2024 (26,206).

In the new car market share by engine type for 2025, petrol cars remain the new car market leader at 27.6%, followed by hybrid (petrol electric) at 23.09%, diesel at 17.42%, electric at 15.63%, and plug-in electric hybrid at 14.64%.