See all Motoring News The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has just released their official vehicle registration statistics for May, and the numbers are on the rise. New car registrations in May soared by an impressive 42.7%, reaching a total of 7,557 registrations, compared to May 2022's figure of 5,295. Year-to-date registrations also experienced a healthy surge of 18.2%, amounting to 74,542 registrations, up from 63,057 during the same period last year.
Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) demonstrated even more robust growth, with a remarkable 76.2% increase in May, accounting for 2,528 registrations, up from 1,435 in May 2022. Year to date, LCV registrations accelerated by 31.1%, totaling 16,255. Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations also experienced positive momentum, showcasing an 11.9% boost in May, reaching 217 registrations compared to 194 in May 2022. Year to date, HGV registrations accelerated by 35.6%, totaling 1,424.
Imported Used Cars had a strong showing as well, with a 14.9% increase in May 2023, amounting to 4,486 registrations, up from 3,905 in May 2022. Year to date, imports saw a 5.2% rise, totaling 20,797 registrations, compared to 19,766 in 2022.
The electric vehicle (EV) market continued its upward trajectory, with 1,725 new EV registrations in May, reflecting a remarkable 132.2% surge from May 2022's figure of 743. Year to date, 12,875 new electric cars hit the roads, representing a staggering 55.9% increase from the same period in 2022 (8,258).
In terms of market share, Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrids, and Hybrids collectively captured 42.74% of the market year to date, signaling their growing popularity. Petrol maintained its dominance at 32.36%, followed by Diesel at 22.17%, Hybrid at 17.51%, Electric at 17.27%, and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 7.96%.
These statistics paint a promising picture for the automotive industry in Ireland, highlighting the increasing demand for new vehicles and the growing popularity of electric and hybrid options. Commenting on the trends, Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General said “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.”