New car registrations drop as EV sales fall

There’s been a call for measures in Budget 2025 to further incentivise the sale of electric vehicles (EVs). It follows the release of the official ‘242’ new vehicle registrations statistics for August by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

They shows a decline in new vehicle registrations nationally for the sixth consecutive month, unpinned by a decline in the sales of EVs.

New car registrations for August were down 8.4% (7,567) when compared to August 2023 (8,261).

However, Cavan reversed that trend - recording an 8.6% increase in the number of new vehicles registered in August 2024 - up to 76 from 70 in August 2023.

Registrations nationally so far this year are down 0.9% (112,171) on the same period last year (113,199).

Cavan is down 1.9% year to date with 1,166 new cars sold compared to 1,189 in the first eight months of 2023.

The most popular make with drivers in the Breffni county remains Toyota (252 units), while the most popular model is still the Hyundai Tucson (68).

However sales of the Volkswagen Tiguan almost tripled so far this year in County Cavan (up to 55 from 20); while the Skoda Octavia has also grown in popularity - near doubling its sales from 32 to 62.

Meanwhile, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) declined by 17.2% (1,698) nationally compared to August last year (2,051). However, year to date LCVs are up 9.3% (26,930). HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles) registrations are down 41.5% (172) in comparison to August 2023 (294). But again, year to date, they are up 11.2% (2,466).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 18.5% (5,426) rise in August 2024, when compared to August 2023 (4,577). Year to date imports are up 25.3% (42,622) on 2023 (34,010).

In August 1,259 new electric cars were registered, which was 29.3% lower than the 1,782 registrations in August 2023. So far this year, 15,129 new electric cars have been registered representing a 25.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2023 when 20,266 electric cars were registered.

In Cavan, the drop in the sale of EVs is much more pronounced. They are down by over half so far this year with 70 new EVs registered in the first eight months of this year compared to 147 for the same period last year.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General, says the Government must intervene to support the Electric Vehicle project, one which is “so crucial” for reducing emissions in the transport sector.

“Government incentives to date have been fundamental to the EV transition, but they have to be continued and enhanced,” he said.

SIMI is urging the Government to:

- Extend the Benefit-In-Kind (BIK) incentive at current levels, which will help transition the business fleet faster and support the development of a used EV market;

- Increase SEAI grants back to 2022 levels until the EV market recovers; and

- Accelerate the roll out of a fit for purpose national charging infrastructure.

Most popular makes in Cavan in 2024

Toyota 252 (21% market share)

Skoda 157 (13.5%)

Volkswagen 140 (12%)

Hyundai 113 (9.7%)

Nissan 109 (9.4%)

Most popular models in Cavan in 2024

Hyundai Tucson 68 (up 4.6%)

Skoda Octavia 62 (up 93.8%)

Volkswagen Tiguan 55 (up 175%)

Toyota Rav 4 52 (up 59.4%)

Toyota Yaris Cross 50 (-3.9%)