Ireland’s EV market has “started to turn a corner” as sales surge, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry believes. 

New data from the organisation revealed that 4,925 EVs were sold in Ireland last month - a figure 20% higher than the previous January. 

Despite this, fewer people are buying EVs than they were just two-years ago. 

While in 2023, 19% of all new cars were EVs, the following year the figure plunged to 15% - a trend many attributed to a cut in the Government grant. 

On Breakfast Briefing, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry spokesperson Brian Cooke said sales are still not back to the levels they were two-years ago. 

“We still have a bit to go but it’s up on last year,” he said. 

“If you combine the hybrid vehicles as well, for the first time, over half the new car market in January was people who can have an electric driving experience with their new car.”

An EV charging point with an electric car plugged in. Picture by: Geoff Smith / Alamy

Mr Cooke said public perception of EVs has improved, with fewer people worried about battery life and the reliability of the public charging infrastructure. 

He also said there are significantly more secondhand EVs than there were in previous years. 

“One of the biggest challenges is that we need to create a second hand EV market,” he said. 

“Most people buy used cars and we’ve gone from having 20,000 EVs that were three-years or older to nearly 40,000 now. 

“That’ll be 60,000 this time next year. 

“So, that’ll help the normal cycle [of second hand car sales].”

A woman charging an electric car at a charging point. Picture by: Cultura Creative RF / Alamy.

Mr Cooke said Ireland’s moderate climate is “ideally suited to electric vehicles” and most people would be able to charge their car at home. 

“On the charging infrastructure, there’s a lot of Irish houses with driveways for which you can actually have a home charger,” he said. 

“Which makes it convenient and it also makes it really good value for money. 

“We do have issues around the public charging infrastructure. 

“Almost weekly now we see new hubs being put in place and we need to see more of that. 

“I think that’s where the Government’s focus is probably going to be over the next couple of years.” 

Under the 2021 Climate Action Plan, the Government hopes that 30% of all cars in Ireland will be electric by 2030.

Main image: An electric car plugged in at charging point station. Picture by: Alamy.com