Ireland has seen a 20 percent decline in the sale of new electric cars in the first five months of 2024 in comparison to the same time last year, according to a new report released on Wednesday.
A total of 9,458 EVs were licensed between January and May this year, down from 11,918 during the corresponding period in 2023, figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.
In the same period, the sale of petrol and electric hybrid cars jumped by 49 percent (14,712 versus 9,864) compared to the first five months of last year.
Reflecting on the data, Damien Lenihan, CSO Statistician in the Transport section, said: “Today’s figures from the CSO show growth in the licensing of petrol & electric hybrid vehicles.”
Lenihan also said: “In the first five months of 2024, 24,009 new cars licensed were petrol compared with 23,944 in the same period in 2023, up less than 1%. Comparing the same five-month periods in 2023 and 2024, the number of new diesel cars licensed has risen by 15%.”
The ongoing slump in EV sales, according to industry groups, can be attributed to insufficient charging infrastructure in parts of the country, along with the government’s decision to cut the EV grant from €5,000 to €3,500 last year.