January was a record month for sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Ireland, the Society of Irish Motor Industry (Simi) has revealed, reversing a trend that took hold last year. Yet Ireland remains well off the pace if it is going to meet the ambitious targets for EV adoption set by the previous government.
Simi’s latest report on new car registration indicates that some 4,925 EVs were registered in the Republic last month, a single-month record and up 20 per cent on January 2024.
In the new car market electric engines now hold a 14.7 per cent share, up from slightly more than 13 per cent in January 2024.
Still, approximately 12,000 zero-emission vehicles would have to be sold each month if the Republic is going to hit the Government’s target of having 945,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030, said Phil Barnes, business development manager at fleet management software group Geotab.
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This makes it “even more important for the Government to quickly deliver on the measures to boost EV sales as set out in the new programme for government”, he said.
The coalition has committed to reviewing the existing grant incentives for EV take-up and to look at other measures to make them more affordable for motorists.
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In 2023 the previous government slashed the maximum grant available for purchasing an electric vehicle from €5,000 to €3,500, a move that precipitated a sharp decline in EV sales over the past 1½ years.
“There is plenty of ambition, with recognition of the need to boost incentives for buyers, but if we have to wait until October for this to be introduced as part of the Budget 2026 package, then we run the risk of being stuck in the slow lane,” said Mr Barnes.
Brian Cooke, director general of Simi, said the underlying EV market remains heavily reliant on grant supports, highlighting the importance of ongoing Government intervention in the market. “However, while there is cautious optimism over the trajectory of EV sales one good month of sales does not necessarily define the whole year, and we still have a long way to go in the transition to electrification.”
Overall new car registrations were up 7 per cent to 33,521 last month compared with January 2024, Simi said.
Commercial registrations were a mixed bag with light commercial vehicle registrations down 16 per cent year-on-year while heavy goods vehicle registrations jumped 8 per cent.
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