February new car registrations up 9.9%; Consumers leading the way in EV sales, up 37.5%

01/03/2023

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released their official 231 new vehicle registrations statistics for February. 

New car registrations for the month of February were up 9.9% (13,161) when compared to February 2022 (11,971). Registrations year to date are up 9.4% (40,476) on the same period last year (36,985).

Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are up 12.8% (2,585) compared to February last year (2,291) and year to date are up 11.0% (8,152). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are also showing an increase of 45.9% (267) in comparison to February 2022 (183). Year to date HGV's are up 49.9% (691).

Imported Used Cars seen a 4.9% (3,990) increase in February 2023, when compared to February 2022 (3,805). Year to date imports are marginally down 0.9% (7,776) on 2022 (7,846).

For the month of February 2,219 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 1,614 in February 2022 (+37.5%). So far this year 5,893 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 4,311 on the same period 2022.

Electric Vehicle and Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids continue to increase their market share, with a combined market share now of 41%. Internal combustion engine type vehicles remain dominant with petrol accounting for 32.48%, Diesel 23.32%, Hybrid 19.16%, Electric 14.56% and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 7.59%.

Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting: 

“February new car registrations have continued on a similar pattern to January, with a 9.9% increase compared to the same month last year, but still lagging 13% behind pre-Covid February 2019. Sales of commercial vehicles both Light (LCV) and Heavy (HGVs), have shown a strong increase on last year. Electric Vehicles (EVs) continue to outperform the market. Increased supply, strong Government supports and the State’s commitment to investing in charging infrastructure, are all essential elements in encouraging the transition to electric. Drilling into the EV sales patterns, it is important to highlight private customers, who still benefit from the SEAI Grant, account for 75% of EV sales so far this year, with these sales increasing by over 40% when compared to last year. On the other hand, sales of new EVs to companies, which don’t benefit from the grant support, and which now attract a higher level of BIK since January, are slightly down on last year. This underlines the importance of the grant and it is vital that we that we don’t interrupt consumer momentum by continuing this support at current levels beyond June”.

2023 New Vehicle Stats

  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 40,476 v (2022) 36,985 +9.4%
  • New Car sales total year to date (2023) 40,476 v (2019) 47,439 -14.7%
  • New Car sales total February (2023) 13,161 v (2022) 11,971 +9.9%
  • New Car sales total February (2023) 13,161 v (2019) 15,069 -12.7%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 8,152 v (2022) 7,342 +11.0%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2023) 8,152 v (2019) 8,013 +1.7%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total February (2023) 2,585 v (2022) 2,291 +12.8%
  • Light Commercial Vehicles sales total February (2023) 2,585 v (2019) 2,465 +4.9%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 691 v (2022) 461 +49.9%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2023) 691 v (2019) 535 +29.2%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales February (2023) 267 v (2022) 183 +45.9%
  • Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales February (2023) 267 v (2019) 241+10.8%
  • New Busses/ Coaches sales year to date (2023) 89 v (2022) 112 -20.5%
  • New Busses/ Coaches total sales February (2023) 52 v (2022) 58 -10.3%
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 7,776 v (2022) 7,846 -0.9%
  • Used Car Imports total year to date (2023) 7,776 v (2019) 17,862 -56.5%
  • Used Car Imports total February (2023) 3,990 v (2022) 3,805 +4.9%
  • Used Car Imports total February (2023) 3,990 v (2019) 8,859 -55.0%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 5,893 v (2022) 4,311 +36.7%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2023) 5,893 v (2019) 1,124 +424.3%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales February (2023) 2,219 v (2022) 1,614 +37.5%
  • New Electric Vehicles sales February (2023) 2,219 v (2019) 325 +582.8%
  • 5 Top Selling Car Brands 2023 were: 1. TOYOTA, 2. HYUNDAI, 3. VOLKSWAGEN, 4. SKODA, 5. KIA
  • 5 Top car model’s year 2023 were: 1. HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2. TOYOTA YARIS CROSS, 3. KIA SPORTAGE, 4. TOYOTA C-HR, 5. TOYOTA YARIS
  • 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) Car Brands 2023: 1. HYUNDAI, 2. VOLKSWAGEN, 3. KIA, 4. BMW, 5. NISSAN         
  • 5 Top Selling Electric Vehicles (EVs) models 2023: 1. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5, 2. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 3. HYUNDAI KONA, 4. KIA EV6, 5. BMW I4
  • Top Selling Car (February) 2023: KIA SPORTAGE 
  • Top Selling Electric Car (February) 2023: VOLKSWAGEN ID.4
  • Market share by engine type 2023: Petrol 32.48%, Diesel 23.32%, Hybrid 19.16%, Electric 14.56%, Plug-In Hybrid 7.59%
  • Tables below show total new car registrations by county and total new electric car registrations by county 2023. 

New Car Registrations by County 2023 (January-February)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 %
Share

Carlow

469

470

-0.21

1.16

1.27

Cavan

488

447

9.17

1.21

1.21

Clare

896

816

9.8

2.21

2.21

Cork

4993

4938

1.11

12.34

13.35

Donegal

945

907

4.19

2.33

2.45

Dublin

15669

12780

22.61

38.71

34.55

Galway

1717

1753

-2.05

4.24

4.74

Kerry

907

844

7.46

2.24

2.28

Kildare

1784

1794

-0.56

4.41

4.85

Kilkenny

756

770

-1.82

1.87

2.08

Laois

502

498

0.8

1.24

1.35

Leitrim

154

149

3.36

0.38

0.4

Limerick

1458

1319

10.54

3.6

3.57

Longford

194

222

-12.61

0.48

0.6

Louth

970

957

1.36

2.4

2.59

Mayo

728

721

0.97

1.8

1.95

Meath

1434

1436

-0.14

3.54

3.88

Monaghan

349

324

7.72

0.86

0.88

Offaly

484

482

0.41

1.2

1.3

Roscommon

410

375

9.33

1.01

1.01

Sligo

397

408

-2.7

0.98

1.1

Tipperary

1130

1106

2.17

2.79

2.99

Waterford

991

948

4.54

2.45

2.56

Westmeath

607

585

3.76

1.5

1.58

Wexford

1079

987

9.32

2.67

2.67

Wicklow

965

949

1.69

2.38

2.57

New Electric Vehicle Registrations by County 2023
(January- February)

County

2023 Units

2022 Units

% Change

2023 % Share

2022 %
Share

Carlow

62

45

37.78

1.05

1.04

Cavan

45

24

87.5

0.76

0.56

Clare

107

48

122.92

1.82

1.11

Cork

644

428

50.47

10.93

9.93

Donegal

89

62

43.55

1.51

1.44

Dublin

2564

1903

34.73

43.51

44.14

Galway

235

179

31.28

3.99

4.15

Kerry

98

82

19.51

1.66

1.9

Kildare

319

269

18.59

5.41

6.24

Kilkenny

79

72

9.72

1.34

1.67

Laois

59

47

25.53

1

1.09

Leitrim

18

8

125

0.31

0.19

Limerick

172

110

56.36

2.92

2.55

Longford

14

10

40

0.24

0.23

Louth

127

79

60.76

2.16

1.83

Mayo

80

66

21.21

1.36

1.53

Meath

275

205

34.15

4.67

4.76

Monaghan

21

18

16.67

0.36

0.42

Offaly

51

35

45.71

0.87

0.81

Roscommon

37

20

85

0.63

0.46

Sligo

57

58

-1.72

0.97

1.35

Tipperary

132

106

24.53

2.24

2.46

Waterford

123

94

30.85

2.09

2.18

Westmeath

85

63

34.92

1.44

1.46

Wexford

160

109

46.79

2.72

2.53

Wicklow

240

171

40.35

4.07

3.97