Electric Vehicle Registrations Continue Strong Growth – SIMI
New data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) shows another sharp increase in electric vehicle (EV) registrations, continuing a strong upward trend.
In August, 2,126 new electric cars were registered, marking a 69.3% increase compared to the same month last year. This follows year-on-year increases of 57% in July and 81.9% in June.
So far in 2025, 20,656 new EVs have been registered — up 37% on the first eight months of 2024.
Broader Market Trends
A total of 7,615 cars with 252 number plates were registered in August, a 1% rise compared to August 2024. Year-to-date, total new car registrations are up 3.4%, from 112,229 to 116,099.
Commercial Vehicles
- Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) registrations jumped 56.7% in August to 2,660. Year-to-date, LCV registrations are up 2.8% to 27,593.
- Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations rose 19.9% in August to 205, but overall for the year are down 9.1% to 2,233.
Used Imports
Imported used car registrations also saw a rise, up 9.9% in August to 5,964. For the year so far, the category is up 9.48%, totaling 46,662.
Market Share by Engine Type
The SIMI report shows the following breakdown of new car registrations by fuel type so far in 2025:
- Petrol: 26.31%
- Hybrid (Petrol-Electric): 22.35%
- Electric: 17.79%
- Diesel: 17.26%
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric: 14.72%
Top Sellers
- Top-selling car in August: Skoda Octavia
- Top-selling electric car in August: BYD Sealion
Top 5 car brands (YTD): Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai, Kia
Top 5 car models (YTD): Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Octavia, Toyota Yaris Cross, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4
Top 5 EV brands (YTD): Volkswagen, Kia, Hyundai, Tesla, Skoda
Top 5 EV models (YTD): Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV3, Tesla Model 3, Kia EV6, Hyundai Inster