The number of new cars sold in Ireland grew by 415 last month, compared to the same month last year, according to new stats released by the CSO.
February saw 14,394 new cars sold, with 2,853 of those electric vehicles and 2,179 of those plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), a rise of 38% and 65%, respectively, compared with February 2024.
Damien Lenihan, Statistician in the Transport Section of the CSO, said: “Today’s figures from the CSO show a 38% increase in the number of electric cars licensed for the first time in February 2025 (2,853) when compared with the same month in 2024 (2,067).
"We also see growth in the licensing of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) which were up 65% from 1,321 in February of 2024 to 2,179 vehicles in the same period of 2025.
"In the first two months of 2025, 9,593 new cars licensed were petrol compared with 10,121 in the same period of 2024, a fall of 5%.
"Comparing the first two months of 2025 with 2024, the number of new diesel cars licensed fell by 22% (6,079 vs 7,774)."
The combined share of petrol and diesel cars among new private cars licensed year to date has fallen in comparison with 2024 (42% vs 51%).
Lenihan also revealed that the "data also shows that Toyota was the most popular make of new private car licensed in February 2025 at 2,024 vehicles, followed by Hyundai (1,481), Volkswagen (1,363), Kia (1,323), and Skoda (1,083).
"Together, these five makes represented 51% of all new private cars licensed in February 2025.
"The most popular brand of new electric car licensed in February 2025 was Tesla Model 3 (313), followed by Volkswagen ID.4 (248), and Kia EV 3 (192).”
