 |
| Kia EV3, second place electric car this year. |
Year-to-date electric car sales in Ireland have surged, with 14,004 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) registered, marking a 40.5 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025, writes Brian Byrne.
In March alone, BEV registrations rose by 52.1 per cent, reaching 3,851 units. This growth has propelled the BEV market share to 21.5 per cent for the year so far, up from 18.9 per cent in 2025.
While there was an overall decline in new car registrations, which fell by 10.4 per cent in March compared to the previous year, Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) saw a 13.5 per cent increase, while Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) experienced a 10 per cent rise, marking their first month of growth this year.
Hybrid vehicles continue to dominate the market, accounting for 27.36 per cent of new car registrations, followed by Electric at 21.56 per cent and Petrol at 21.24 per cent.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) noted that while the first quarter of 2026 saw a slight slowdown in new car sales, the strong performance of electric vehicles across all counties remains a significant highlight.
