CSO figures show that the number of new cars licensed for the first time in October 2020 was 4,189 compared with 3,214 in October 2019 – an increase of 30%.

However, the number of new cars licensed in the first ten months of 2020 was 81,809 compared with 110,900 in 2019 – a decrease of 26%.

Statistician Olive Loughnane said this morning (9 November): “Today’s figures from the CSO show the continued growth in the number of electric and hybrid vehicles licensed in Ireland.

Drop

“Despite the drop of 26.2% in the overall number of new cars licensed from January to October 2020, the number of new hybrid and electric cars licensed in that period now exceeds the number licensed for all of 2019, by 12.5%.”

The number of new electric cars licensed from January to October 2020 grew by 20% from 3,119 to 3,744.

There were 12,386 new hybrid cars licensed in the first ten months of 2020, compared with 10,742 for the same period in 2019.

While new vehicle registrations are up 30% compared with October 2019, the year-to-date picture is less positive.

Low numbers

Data for the period show that the number of new cars licensed was 29,091 lower than in the same period of 2019.

This fall is due to the very low numbers licensed during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.

The number of used cars licensed in October declined by 13%, but decreases in the number of used cars licensed were evident prior to the onset of the pandemic.

The number of used (imported) diesel private cars licensed fell from 65,760 (January to October 2019) to 40,408 in the first ten months of 2020.