As electric vehicles (EVs) begin to steal a lead, SIMI urges continued Government support in Budget 2026 to accelerate EV uptake.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has released its official 252 new vehicle registration statistics for August, highlighting continued growth in electric vehicle (EV) adoption and a strong performance across several vehicle categories.
One stat that stands out is market share by engine type: petrol 26.31%, hybrid (petrol electric) 22.35%, electric 17.79%, diesel 17.26%, plug-in electric hybrid 14.72%.
“With Budget 2026 fast approaching, the Government must recommit to the EV project”
On first glance, that means that battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales have just surpassed diesel sales by what seems like a slim margin. However, when you count in hybrid (petrol with electric), the overall market share for electric-based cars stands at 40.14%.
It is still early days for this technology but it is clear that motorist sentiment towards electric vehicles has shifted to the fast lane.
EV sales surge
New car registrations for August reached 7,615 units, a 1% increase compared to August 2024. Year-to-date, new car sales stand at 116,099, up 3.4% from the same period last year.
BEVs saw particularly strong growth, with 2,126 new registrations in August—up 69.3% from 1,256 in August 2024. So far in 2025, 20,656 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 37% increase year-on-year.
Brian Cooke, Director General of SIMI, said the recovery in EV sales is a positive development that must be supported through continued government incentives.
“New battery-electric car registrations increased by 69% when compared to August 2024, with 2,126 units sold, while year-to-date they have reached 20,656, a 37% increase on the same period last year. This means electric car sales have now recovered to 2023 levels,” Cooke said.
“This recovery in EV sales is one that we must build upon and would not have been possible without Government incentives. With Budget 2026 fast approaching, the Government must recommit to the EV project, extend the current incentives – the SEAI Grant, Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) relief, and 0% Benefit-In-Kind (BIK) threshold—and consider additional targeted measures which focus on the business sector or the second-hand EV market.”
Cooke also emphasised the importance of infrastructure investment.
“Investment in the high-powered public charging infrastructure is vital. The Battery Electric Vehicle market is still developing, and any diminution of support will negatively impact widespread EV adoption, which is such a critical part of achieving our climate change goals. Now is the time to invest in the EV project.”
Other highlights from the August report include:
- Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs): Up 56.7% in August (2,660 units), with year-to-date growth of 2.8% (27,593 units).
- Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs): Up 19.9% in August (205 units), though down 9.1% year-to-date (2,233 units).
- Used Car Imports: Up 9.9% in August (5,964 units), and 9.48% year-to-date (46,662 units).
- In terms of market share by engine type for 2025, petrol leads at 26.31%, followed by hybrid (22.35%), electric (17.79%), diesel (17.26%), and plug-in hybrid (14.72%).
The top-selling new car in August was the Škoda Octavia, while the BYD Sealion led electric car sales for the month. The top five EV brands year-to-date are Volkswagen, Kia, Hyundai, Tesla, and Škoda.
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