121,195 New Car Registrations in 2024; Electric Cars Reach 17,459
According to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry – SIMI – official new vehicle registration statistics for 2024 show an increase in commercial vehicle sales and a slight decrease in new car sales.
Total new car registrations for 2024, finished at 121,195, a slight decrease of 1% compared to 2023 (122,400).
New Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) registrations in 2024 saw an increase of 7% (30,786) compared to 2023 (28,854). New Heavy Commercial Vehicle registrations (HGV) increased by 8% (2,865) in comparison to 2023 (2,655).
Imported Used Cars saw 61,583 registrations in 2024, an increase of 21.4% on 2023 (50,716).
17,459 new electric cars were registered in 2024, a decrease of 23.6% from the 22,852 registrations seen in 2023.
Market share for 2024 seen Petrol account for 30.31%, Diesel 22.80%, Hybrid 20.92%, Electric 14.41%, and Plug-In Hybrid 10.02%. Petrol remains the most popular engine type for 2024, while Electric, Hybrid, and Plug-in Hybrid account for over 45% of the market.
Automatic transmissions now account for 66.09% of the market share, while manual transmissions have declined to 33.80%.
The hatchback continues to remain Ireland’s top-selling car body type of 2024. While grey has retained the top-selling colour title for the ninth year running.
Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commenting on the numbers: “The new car market in 2024 was in line with the previous year, with new car registrations finishing at 121,195 units, slightly behind 2023 (122,400 units). Commercial Vehicles Sales, underlining the growth in employment and activity across the Irish economy, were more positive with LCV registrations finishing 7% ahead of last year and HGVs up 8% on 2023. The key feature of the 2024 new car market was the decline in Electric Vehicle sales, a reduction of 24% compared to 2023. There has however been some tentative signs of a turnaround in EV sales towards the end of 2024, and the Industry is anticipating an increase in EV sales in 2025. The start of the new registration period, 251, this week, is an optimistic time for the Irish Motor Industry. With the variety of incentives and offers from retailers and manufacturers it is a good time for customers to shop for a new or used car.”
2024 Total New Vehicle Stats
- New Car sales total year to date (2024) 121,195 v (2023) 122,400 -1%
- New Car sales total December (2024) 423 v (2023) 345 +22.6%
- New Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date (2024) 30,786 v (2023) 28,854 +7%
- New Light Commercial Vehicles sales total December (2024) 94 v (2023) 148 -36.5%
- New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date (2024) 2,865 v (2023) 2,655 +8%
- New Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales December (2024) 17 v (2023) 37 -54.1%
- New Buses/Coaches sales year to date (2024) 576 v (2023) 339 +69.91%
- Used Car Imports total year to date (2024) 61,583 v (2023) 50,716 +21.4%
- Used Car Imports total December (2024) 3,175 v (2023) 3,409 -6.9%
- New Electric Vehicles sales total year to date (2024) 17,459 v (2023) 22,852 -23.60%
- New Electric Vehicles sales December (2024) 296 v (2023) 199 +48.7%
- 5 Top Selling New Car Brands 2024 were: 1.TOYOTA, 2.VOLKSWAGEN, 3.SKODA, 4.HYUNDAI, 5.KIA
- 5 Top New Car Model’s year 2024 were 1.HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2.SKODA OCTAVIA, 3.KIA SPORTAGE, 4.TOYOTA RAV 4, 5.TOYOTA YARIS CROSS
- 5 Top Selling New Electric Vehicles (EVs) Car Brands 2024: 1.TESLA, 2.VOLKSWAGEN, 3.KIA, 4.HYUNDAI, 5.BYD
- 5 Top Selling New Electric Vehicles (EVs) Models 2024: 1.TESLA MODEL 3, 2.VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 3.TESLA MODEL Y, 4.KIA EV6, 5.HYUNDAI KONA
- Top Selling New Car 2024: HYUNDAI TUCSON
- Top 3 Top Selling New Car Colours 2024: 1.Grey, 2.Black, 3.Blue
- Top New Car Body Type: Hatchback
- 2024 % Share of Cars by Transmission Type: Automatic 66.09% Manual 33.80%
- Market share by engine type 2024: Petrol 30.31%, Diesel 22.80%, Hybrid 20.92%, Electric 14.41%, Plug-in Hybrid 10.02%
Tables below show total new car registrations by county for 2024 (January-December) and total new Electric car registrations by county 2024.
| New Car Registrations by County 2024 (January-December) |
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| County | 2024 Units | 2023 Units | % Change | 2024 % Share | 2023 % Share |
| Carlow | 1196 | 1255 | -4.7 | 0.99 | 1.03 |
| Cavan | 1255 | 1251 | 0.32 | 1.04 | 1.02 |
| Clare | 2474 | 2399 | 3.13 | 2.04 | 1.96 |
| Cork | 13680 | 13911 | -1.66 | 11.29 | 11.37 |
| Donegal | 2765 | 2578 | 7.25 | 2.28 | 2.11 |
| Dublin | 52574 | 54003 | -2.65 | 43.38 | 44.12 |
| Galway | 4708 | 4819 | -2.3 | 3.88 | 3.94 |
| Kerry | 2494 | 2440 | 2.21 | 2.06 | 1.99 |
| Kildare | 5401 | 5197 | 3.93 | 4.46 | 4.25 |
| Kilkenny | 2050 | 2044 | 0.29 | 1.69 | 1.67 |
| Laois | 1428 | 1362 | 4.85 | 1.18 | 1.11 |
| Leitrim | 487 | 449 | 8.46 | 0.4 | 0.37 |
| Limerick | 3971 | 3803 | 4.42 | 3.28 | 3.11 |
| Longford | 550 | 534 | 3 | 0.45 | 0.44 |
| Louth | 2711 | 2650 | 2.3 | 2.24 | 2.17 |
| Mayo | 2043 | 2057 | -0.68 | 1.69 | 1.68 |
| Meath | 4010 | 4169 | -3.81 | 3.31 | 3.41 |
| Monaghan | 976 | 935 | 4.39 | 0.81 | 0.76 |
| Offaly | 1307 | 1313 | -0.46 | 1.08 | 1.07 |
| Roscommon | 1124 | 1141 | -1.49 | 0.93 | 0.93 |
| Sligo | 1187 | 1120 | 5.98 | 0.98 | 0.92 |
| Tipperary | 2901 | 2926 | -0.85 | 2.39 | 2.39 |
| Waterford | 2533 | 2753 | -7.99 | 2.09 | 2.25 |
| Westmeath | 1698 | 1657 | 2.47 | 1.4 | 1.35 |
| Wexford | 2907 | 2849 | 2.04 | 2.4 | 2.33 |
| Wicklow | 2765 | 2785 | -0.72 | 2.28 | 2.28 |
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| New Electric Car Registrations by County 2024 (January-December) |
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| County | 2024 Units | 2023 Units | % Change | 2024 % Share | 2023 % Share |
| Carlow | 131 | 214 | -38.79 | 0.75 | 0.94 |
| Cavan | 83 | 162 | -48.77 | 0.48 | 0.71 |
| Clare | 239 | 422 | -43.36 | 1.37 | 1.85 |
| Cork | 1630 | 2327 | -29.95 | 9.34 | 10.18 |
| Donegal | 208 | 305 | -31.8 | 1.19 | 1.33 |
| Dublin | 9038 | 10999 | -17.83 | 51.77 | 48.13 |
| Galway | 506 | 830 | -39.04 | 2.9 | 3.63 |
| Kerry | 213 | 310 | -31.29 | 1.22 | 1.36 |
| Kildare | 1025 | 1261 | -18.72 | 5.87 | 5.52 |
| Kilkenny | 232 | 276 | -15.94 | 1.33 | 1.21 |
| Laois | 170 | 214 | -20.56 | 0.97 | 0.94 |
| Leitrim | 32 | 58 | -44.83 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Limerick | 446 | 589 | -24.28 | 2.55 | 2.58 |
| Longford | 48 | 72 | -33.33 | 0.27 | 0.32 |
| Louth | 341 | 456 | -25.22 | 1.95 | 2 |
| Mayo | 141 | 247 | -42.91 | 0.81 | 1.08 |
| Meath | 723 | 1048 | -31.01 | 4.14 | 4.59 |
| Monaghan | 65 | 97 | -32.99 | 0.37 | 0.42 |
| Offaly | 117 | 167 | -29.94 | 0.67 | 0.73 |
| Roscommon | 88 | 123 | -28.46 | 0.5 | 0.54 |
| Sligo | 99 | 183 | -45.9 | 0.57 | 0.8 |
| Tipperary | 216 | 378 | -42.86 | 1.24 | 1.65 |
| Waterford | 375 | 417 | -10.07 | 2.15 | 1.82 |
| Westmeath | 197 | 276 | -28.62 | 1.13 | 1.21 |
| Wexford | 433 | 513 | -15.59 | 2.48 | 2.24 |
| Wicklow | 663 | 908 | -26.98 | 3.8 | 3.97 |