Electric & Hybrid Vehicles combine for over 50% of May new car market
Published on 15th June 2023 at 09:50
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 231 new vehicle registrations statistics for May.
New car registrations for the month of May were up 42.7% (7,557) when compared to May 2022 (5,295). Registrations year to date are up 18.2% (74,542) on the same period last year (63,057).
Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are up 76.2% (2,528) compared to May last year (1,435) and year to date are up 31.1% (16,255). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are also showing an increase of 11.9% (217) in comparison to May 2022 (194). Year to date HGV's are up 35.6% (1,424).
Imported Used Cars seen a 14.9% (4,486) increase in May 2023, when compared to May 2022 (3,905). Year to date imports are up 5.2% (20,797) on 2022 (19,766).
For the month of May 1,725 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 743 in May 2022 (+132.2). So far this year 12,875 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to +55.9% (8,258) on the same period 2022.
Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids continue to increase their market share, with a combined market share (year to date) now of 42.74%. Petrol remains dominant at 32.36%, with Diesel accounting for 22.17%, Hybrid 17.51%, Electric 17.27% and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 7.96%.
Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting:
New car sales increased again in May when compared to the same month last year, and now new cars sales are edging closer to Pre-COVID levels. Some easing of supply difficulties has resulted in improvement in delivery times, and this has led to a significant growth particularly in Electric Vehicle (EV) registrations. Year to date EV sales are now 56% ahead of last year, representing over 17% of the new car market. During the month of May nearly one-in-four new cars sold were electric, outperforming diesel sales for the month. Further analysis of the registrations highlights that when we combine Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) and Hybrids, which use battery technology for driving, they account for over 50% of the new car market for May. Commercial vehicle registrations both the heavy and light sectors, also demonstrated strong growth during the month.
2023 Total New Vehicle Stats
- New Car sales total year to date (2023) 74,542 v (2022) 63,057 +18.2%
- New Car sales total year to date (2023) 74,542 v (2019) 79,350 -6.06%
- New Car sales total May (2023) 7,557 v (2022) 5,295 +42.7%
- New Car sales total May (2023) 7,557 v (2019) 6,320 +19.57%
- Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 16,255 v (2022) 12,395 +31.1%
- Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 16,255 v (2019) 14,570 +11.6%
- Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2023) 2,528 v (2022) 1,435 +76.2%
- Light Commercial Vehicles sales total May (2023) 2,528 v (2019) 1,717 +47.2%
- Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 1,424 v (2022) 1,050 +35.6%
- Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 1,424 v (2019) 1,209 +17.8%
- Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2023) 217 v (2022) 194 +11.9%
- Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales May (2023) 217 v (2019) 222 -2.3%
- New Buses/ Coaches sales year to date (2023) 195 v (2022) 193 +1.0%
- New Buses/ Coaches total sales May (2023) 38 v (2022) 24 +58.3%
- Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 20,797 v (2022) 19,766 +5.2%
- Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 20,797 v (2019) 45,066 -53.9%
- Used Car Imports total May (2023) 4,486 v (2022) 3,905 +14.9%
- Used Car Imports total May (2023) 4,486 v (2019) 9,347 -52.0%
- New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 12,875 v (2022) 8,258 +56%
- New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 12,875 v (2019) 1,901 +577.28%
- New Electric Vehicles sales May (2023) 1,725 v (2022) 743 +132.17%
- New Electric Vehicles sales May (2023) 1,725 v (2019) 171 +908.77%
- 5 Top Selling Car Brands 2023 were: 1. TOYOTA, 2. VOLKSWAGEN, 3. HYUNDAI, 4. SKODA, 5. KIA
- 5 Top car model’s year 2023 were: 1. HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2. KIA SPORTAGE, 3. TOYOTA COROLLA, 4. TOYOTA YARIS CROSS, 5. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
- Top 5 Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Car Brands 2023: 1. VOLKSWAGEN, 2. HYUNDAI, 3. TESLA, 4. KIA, 5. BMW
- Top 5 Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) models 2023: 1. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 2. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5, 3. TESLA MODEL Y, 4. SKODA ENYAQ, 5. KIA EV6
- Top Selling Car (May) 2023: TOYOTA COROLLA
- Top Selling Electric Car (May) 2023: VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
- Market share by engine type 2023 (YTD): Petrol 32.36%, Diesel 22.17%, Hybrid 17.51%, Electric 17.27%, Plug-In Hybrid 7.96%
Tables below shows total new Electric car registrations by county and total new car registrations by county for May 2023.
| New Car Registrations by County 2023 (January-May) | |||||
| County | 2023 Units | 2022 Units | % Change | 2023 % Share | 2022 % Share |
| Carlow | 785 | 732 | 7.24 | 1.05 | 1.16 |
| Cavan | 782 | 673 | 16.2 | 1.05 | 1.07 |
| Clare | 1510 | 1303 | 15.89 | 2.03 | 2.07 |
| Cork | 8538 | 8058 | 5.96 | 11.45 | 12.78 |
| Donegal | 1564 | 1520 | 2.89 | 2.1 | 2.41 |
| Dublin | 32265 | 23756 | 35.82 | 43.28 | 37.67 |
| Galway | 2959 | 2788 | 6.13 | 3.97 | 4.42 |
| Kerry | 1505 | 1395 | 7.89 | 2.02 | 2.21 |
| Kildare | 3121 | 2869 | 8.78 | 4.19 | 4.55 |
| Kilkenny | 1281 | 1219 | 5.09 | 1.72 | 1.93 |
| Laois | 857 | 787 | 8.89 | 1.15 | 1.25 |
| Leitrim | 287 | 263 | 9.13 | 0.39 | 0.42 |
| Limerick | 2393 | 2155 | 11.04 | 3.21 | 3.42 |
| Longford | 334 | 340 | -1.76 | 0.45 | 0.54 |
| Louth | 1618 | 1515 | 6.8 | 2.17 | 2.4 |
| Mayo | 1286 | 1173 | 9.63 | 1.73 | 1.86 |
| Meath | 2516 | 2280 | 10.35 | 3.38 | 3.62 |
| Monaghan | 572 | 523 | 9.37 | 0.77 | 0.83 |
| Offaly | 756 | 766 | -1.31 | 1.01 | 1.21 |
| Roscommon | 722 | 614 | 17.59 | 0.97 | 0.97 |
| Sligo | 669 | 667 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.06 |
| Tipperary | 1847 | 1769 | 4.41 | 2.48 | 2.81 |
| Waterford | 1879 | 1595 | 17.81 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
| Westmeath | 990 | 931 | 6.34 | 1.33 | 1.48 |
| Wexford | 1822 | 1817 | 0.28 | 2.44 | 2.88 |
| Wicklow | 1684 | 1549 | 8.72 | 2.26 | 2.46 |