New vehicle registrations for May 'encouraging' say dealers
• 5,955 new cars registrations for May compared to 1,741 in May 2020 and 6,320 in May 2019.
• 61,147 new cars registered year to date compared to 51,879 for the same period in 2020 (+17.9%) and 79,350 in 2019 (-23%).
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official new vehicle statistics. To present a more accurate picture of the new vehicle registrations, it is important to compare registrations totals with the same period in 2019 (pre-Covid) when businesses were fully operational.
Light commercial vehicle (LCV) sales increased 2,316 registrations compared to May last year 500 and 1,717 for the same month in 2019. Year to date 16,040 new LCVs were registered an increase on last year’s 10,000 (+60.4%) and 14,570 on 2019 (+10.1%).
Heavy goods vehicles (HGV) seen 202 registrations in May when compared to 95 in May 2020 and 298 May 2019. Year to date HGV’s registrations total 1,426 compared with 1,099 in 2020 (+29.8%) and 1,487 in 2019 (-4.1%).
6,032 used cars were imported in May 2021, compared with 858 imports in May 2020, a decrease on the 9,347 imports in May 2019. Year to date used imports are up 62.63% (30,126) on 2020 (18,524) and down 33.15% on 2019 (45,066).
For the month of May 541 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 147 in May 2020. So far this year 3,952 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 1,847 on the same period 2020.
Electric vehicle and plug-in hybrids and hybrids continue to increase their market share, with their combined market share now over 23.09%. Diesel now accounts for 36.39%, petrol 31.89%, hybrid 16.63%, electric 6.46% and plug-in electric hybrid 6.21%.
Brian Cooke, SIMI director general, said: “There was strong growth in the passenger and commercial vehicle sectors, when compared to last year in May – however, new car sales year to date are still 23% behind pre-Covid 2019.
“The re-opening of car showrooms to customers and the expected boost to consumer spending has allowed for the completion of deals previously in the pipeline and means that retailers are optimistic for new and used vehicle sales for the balance of this year and into 2022.
“It is encouraging to see the increase in the sale of electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) – EV sales for the first five months of the year are close to the full year volume for 2020, and further growth is expected as the year progresses.
“In this context and with the announcement of the government’s Economic Recovery Plan, it is vital that it includes ambitious state funding for the EV project, both in terms of the rolling out of national EV charging infrastructure and vehicle grant supports for private and corporate car buyers.”
2021 New Vehicle Stats
• New car sales total year to date (2021) 61,147 v (2020) 51,879 +17.9%
• New car sales total year to date (2021) 61,147 v (2019) 79,350 -23%
• New car sales total May (2021) 5,955 v (2020) 1,741 +242.0%
• New car sales total May (2021) 5,955 v (2019) 6,320 -5.8%
• Light commercial vehicle sales year to date (2021) 16,040 v (2020) 10,000 +60.4%
• Light commercial vehicle sales year to date (2021) 16,040 v (2019) 14,570 +10.1%
• Light commercial vehicle sales total May (2021) 2,316 v (2020) 500 +363.2%
• Light commercial vehicle sales total May (2021) 2,316 v (2019) 1,717 +34.9%
• Heavy goods vehicle total sales year to date (2021) 1,426 v (2020) 1,099 +29.8%
• Heavy goods vehicle total sales year to date (2021) 1,426 v (2019) 1,487 -4.1%
• Heavy goods vehicle total sales May (2021) 202 v (2020) 95 +112.6%
• Heavy goods vehicle total sales May (2021) 202 v (2019) 298 -32.2%
• Used car imports total year to date (2021) 30,126 v (2020) 18,524 +62.6%
• Used car imports total year to date (2021) 30,126 v (2019) 45,066 -33.15%
• Used car imports total May (2021) 6,032 v (2020) 858 +603.0%
• Used car imports total May (2021) 6,032 v (2019) 9,347 -35.47%
• New electric vehicles sales total year to date (2021) 3,952 v (2020) 1,847 +114.0%
• New electric vehicles sales total year to date (2021) 3,952 v (2019) 1,901 +107.9%
• New electric vehicles sales May (2021) 541 v (2020) 147 +268.0%
• New electric vehicles sales May (2021) 541 v (2019) 171 +216.4%
• Top selling car brands May 2021: 1. Hyundai Tucson 2. Toyota Corolla 3. Toyota RAV 4, 4. Ford Focus 5. Škoda Octavia
• Top car models year May 2021: 1. Toyota 2. Volkswagen 3. Hyundai 4. Škoda 5. Ford
• Top selling car May 2021: Hyundai Tucson
• Market share by engine type 2021: diesel 36.39%; petrol 31.89%; electric 6.46%; plug-in hybrid 6.21%; hybrid 16.63%
New car registrations by county, January – May 20201
(Figures show: county, 2021 Units, 2020 Units, % Change 2021, % Share 2020, and % Share
Carlow 704 625 12.64 1.15 1.2
Cavan 706 618 14.24 1.15 1.19
Clare 1334 1142 16.81 2.18 2.2
Cork 7609 6677 13.96 12.44 12.87
Donegal 1479 1230 20.24 2.42 2.37
Dublin 23874 19402 23.05 39.04 37.4
Galway 2462 2163 13.82 4.03 4.17
Kerry 1345 1168 15.15 2.2 2.25
Kildare 2614 2353 11.09 4.27 4.54
Kilkenny 1195 1082 10.44 1.95 2.09
Laois 796 721 10.4 1.3 1.39
Leitrim 244 244 0 0.4 0.47
Limerick 2214 1941 14.06 3.62 3.74
Longford 323 240 34.58 0.53 0.46
Louth 1425 1290 10.47 2.33 2.49
Mayo 1083 1016 6.59 1.77 1.96
Meath 2026 1704 18.9 3.31 3.28
Monaghan 568 450 26.22 0.93 0.87
Offaly 722 700 3.14 1.18 1.35
Roscommon 616 514 19.84 1.01 0.99
Sligo 654 573 14.14 1.07 1.1
Tipperary 1699 1524 11.48 2.78 2.94
Waterford 1594 1249 27.62 2.61 2.41
Westmeath 932 761 22.47 1.52 1.47
Wexford 1578 1312 20.27 2.58 2.53
Wicklow 1351 1180 14.49 2.21 2.27