Mayo new car registrations largely in line with national trend this year

New car registrations in Mayo year to date are down 0.57% (1,917) on the same period last year (1,928), which closely follows the national trend.

According to figures just released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), new car registrations nationwide so far this year are down 0.9% (112,171) on the same period last year (113,199).

During August, however, new car registrations tumbled 8.4% (7,567) when compared to August 2023 (8,261).

Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) declined by 17.2% (1,698) compared to August last year (2,051), but year to date LCVs are up 9.3% (26,930). Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations are down 41.5% (172) in comparison to August 2023 (294). Year to date, HGVs are up 11.2% (2,466).

Imported used cars have seen a 18.5% (5,426) rise in August 2024 when compared to August 2023 (4,577), and year to date imports are up 25.3% (42,622) on 2023 (34,010).

In the new car market share by engine type, petrols continue to lead the way at 31.37%, followed by diesel at 23.06%, then hybrid (petrol-electric) at 20.94%, electric at 13.49%, and plug-in electric hybrid at 9.57%.

In August, 1,259 new electric cars were registered, which was 29.3% lower than the 1,782 registrations in August 2023. So far this year, 15,129 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 25.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2023, when 20,266 electric cars were registered.

In light of those figures, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) is calling on the government to prioritize support for electric vehicles (EVs) in Budget 2025.

Brian Cooke, SIMI director general, commented: “August represents the sixth consecutive month of falling new car registrations this year, highlighted by the continuing drop in EV sales, which are now down 25% year to date when compared to last year.

“With Budget 2025 fast approaching, it is an opportune time for the government to intervene to support the electric vehicle project, one which is so crucial for reducing emissions in the transport sector. Government incentives to date have been fundamental to the EV transition, but they have to be continued and enhanced.

“SIMI is urging the government to extend the benefit-in-kind (BIK) incentive at current levels, which will help transition the business fleet faster and support the development of a used EV market, increase SEAI grants back to 2022 levels until the EV market recovers, and accelerate the roll-out of a fit-for-purpose national charging infrastructure.

“At this crucial stage in the EV transition, these measures will increase the sale of EVs, signalling their importance to consumers, boosting confidence and reassurance in electric vehicles. Budget 2025 presents an opportunity for government to demonstrate its commitment to fleet electrification and is an opportunity they should not miss.”

The five top selling new car brands so far this year are Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai and Kia, while the top five models are Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Octavia, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Yaris Cross.