The number of new cars licensed in November 2021 was 48% higher than November 2020, according to CSO figures.

The volume increased by 699 vehicles compared with November 2020, and rose by 491 vehicles compared with pre-pandemic November 2019.

In the first 11 months of 2021, 16% of all new cars licensed were electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) compared to 7% in the first 11 months of 2020.

The number of used (imported) private cars licensed almost halved (-45%), falling from 7,892 in November 2020 to 4,324 in November 2021. 

The Central Statistics Office vehicle licensing figures for November 2021 show that the number of new cars licensed for the first time in November 2021 was 2,167 compared with 1,468 in November 2020 and 1,676 in November 2019.

Statistician Nele van der Wielen said: “The number of new cars licensed in November 2021 rose by 699 vehicles compared with November 2020 and increased by 491 vehicles when compared with November 2019. 

“In the first 11 months of 2021, a total of 101,021 new private cars were licensed, an increase of 21% compared with the same period last year. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the first 11 months of 2021 is still visible as figures remain 10% lower than the same 11 months in 2019.

Decrease in imports

“Unlike new cars licensed, the number of used (imported) private cars licensed decreased in the first 11 months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020. 

“A total of 64,657 used private cars were licensed, a decrease of 7% compared with the same period last year and a decrease of 36% compared with 2019.”

Electric cars continue to grow in popularity, he added, as 8% of all new cars licensed in the first 11 months of 2021 were electric cars (8,414), compared with 5% of new cars licensed in the first 11 months of 2020. A further 8% of new car sales were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.