A Tesla Model S electric car at a charging station. The Elon Musk company was the best selling new car brand in the Irish market in June, according to the CSO. File photograph: Getty Images, according to the Central Statistics Office . The accelerated switch to electric motoring here was also illustrated by the fact that Tesla was the most popular brand of new car with Irish motorists in June.
The CSO’s figures show the number of new electric cars licensed in the State rose by 65 per cent from 8,309 in the first half of 2022 to 13,701 in the first half of 2023. That meant 19 per cent of all new cars licensed in the State so far this year were electric. A further 12,255 hybrid vehicles were registered during the period along with 5,930 plug in hybrids.
The CSO noted that over a quarter of the new cars licensed between January and June were either PHEV or EV , compared with just over one-fifth diesel and 35 per cent petrol.