The number of new cars licensed in August 2022 rose by 379 vehicles (4 per cent) compared with August 2021.
In the first eight months of 2022, 21 per cent of all new cars licensed for the first time were electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). This is compared with 15 per cent in the same period in 2021.
There was a fall of 16 per cent in the number of used private cars licensed in August 2022 compared with August 2021.
In the first eight months of 2022, 27 per cent of new private cars licensed were diesel, compared with 34 per cent in the same period in 2021.
The number of used cars licensed in the first eight months of 2022 decreased by 37 per cent compared with the same period in 2021 (31,762 versus 50,771).
There were 11,396 used (imported) diesel private cars licensed in the first eight months of 2022, compared with 28,918 in the same period in 2021, a fall of 61 per cent.
Volkswagen was the most popular make of new private cars licensed in August 2022.
Nele van der Wielen, said: “Today’s figures from the CSO show the continued growth in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles licensed in Ireland.
“The number of new electric cars licensed has increased by 76 per cent from 6,594 in the first eight months of 2021 to 11,618 in 2022.
“At the same time the number of new diesel cars is decreasing. For the first eight months of 2022, 23,397 new cars licensed were diesel cars compared with 30,470 in the same period in 2021.
“There were 31,762 used private cars licensed in the first eight months of 2022 compared with 50,771 in the same period in 2021.
“The total number of used vehicles licensed in the first eight months of 2022 was down 34 per cent compared with the same period in 2021.
“Data also shows that Volkswagen (1,575) was the most popular make of new private car licensed in August, followed by Toyota (942), Kia (777), Skoda (705) and Hyundai (608).
“Together, these five makes represent more than half (52 per cent) of all new private cars licensed in August 2022."
