Ireland is now an 'EV-first' market but still lags way behind Nordic countries
Electric vehicles have become the most popular choice for new car buyers in Ireland, capturing a 26% market share. While this marks a significant milestone, the country still lags behind Nordic leaders like Norway and Denmark in total EV adoption.
Why it matters
This shift highlights the accelerating global transition toward sustainable transportation and the varying speeds at which different nations are achieving decarbonization goals.
FOR THE FIRST time, electric vehicles have become the most popular choice for buyers of new cars in Ireland, propelling the country ahead of fellow European states like France, Spain and the UK.
Battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) have overtaken hybrid engine cars, taking a 26% share of new car registrations so far this year, ahead of hybrid (25%), petrol (20%), plug-in hybrid (14%) and diesel (12%), according to figures published by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi).
Analysis by DoneDeal Cars shows the shift in popularity of BEVs puts Ireland ahead of Italy (8%), Spain (10%), Poland (5%) and the UK (25%), and roughly level with Germany.
However, the same analysis shows Ireland is still “a long way behind” Nordic countries Norway (98%) and Denmark (80%), “where electric is already the overwhelming default choice”.
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