Electric and hybrid car sales in Ireland surpassed petrol and diesel vehicles for the first time last year, according to new official figures, marking a major turning point in the country’s transition away from fossil fuels. The milestone highlights growing consumer confidence in battery-powered vehicles and supports the government’s wider efforts to cut national carbon emissions.
Data released by the Central Statistics Office show that 23,398 electric vehicles were sold during the year. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles recorded sales of 18,237 units, representing a 65 percent year-on-year increase, while conventional hybrid cars accounted for 27,379 sales. Combined, electric and hybrid vehicles reached 69,014 units.
By comparison, petrol car sales stood at 31,221 units, while diesel vehicles accounted for 20,562 sales. The combined total for petrol and diesel cars was 51,783, which is 17,231 fewer than the number of electric and hybrid vehicles sold. Electric vehicles alone made up 19 percent of new private car registrations, up from 15 percent the previous year.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman welcomed the figures, saying they show electric vehicles are becoming increasingly attractive to Irish motorists. However, he cautioned that infrastructure must keep pace with demand, particularly when it comes to public charging facilities.
He said continued investment in charging infrastructure is essential to address range anxiety and sustain growth in electric and hybrid vehicle numbers across the country.
The shift was also highlighted by Society of the Irish Motor Industry, whose director general Brian Cooke described the move toward battery technologies as the defining feature of the car market. He noted that fully electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for more than half of all new car sales for the first time.
According to SIMI, new battery electric vehicle registrations reached 23,601 units, a 35 percent increase compared with the previous year. This marked the highest annual total on record, surpassing the previous peak in 2023. The increase in electric vehicle registrations was recorded in every county, indicating broad-based national uptake.
The growth in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles meant Ireland comfortably exceeded its 2025 Climate Action Plan targets. Electric cars accounted for more than 18 percent of the new car market, placing them behind petrol and petrol-electric hybrids but ahead of diesel and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Monthly figures for December were lower than average, as many buyers delayed purchases until January to secure new registration plates. Even so, electric car maker Tesla emerged as the most popular new private car brand for the month, followed by Volkswagen, Toyota, Audi, and Škoda. Together, these five brands accounted for more than half of all new private car registrations in December.
Overall, Toyota was the most popular new private car brand for the year, while the Volkswagen ID.4 was the most registered electric model. Industry leaders say the figures confirm that Ireland’s car market is undergoing a structural shift, with electric and hybrid vehicles now firmly established as mainstream choices for motorists.
