New Vehicle Registration Statistics for October 2021 – Compiled by the SIMI.
New Vehicle Registration Statistics for October 2021.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has released their official new vehicle statistics for October 2021. To present a more accurate picture of the new vehicle registrations, it is important to compare registrations totals with the same period in 2019 (pre-COVID) when businesses were fully operational.
New Car Registrations saw an increase of 15.2% when compared to October 2020 (2,646 v 2,296) and an increase of 21.4% when compared to October 2019 (2,646 v 2,179). Year to date 103,253 new cars were registered, representing an increase of 18.9% on the new car registration figure of 86,611 in 2020. However, when compared to the same period in 2019, a decrease of 11.1% has been recorded (103,253 v 116,124).
Light Commercials Vehicles (LCV) saw a decrease of registrations compared to October last year 1,315 (2021) v 1,651 (2020) and an increase on the 1,064 registrations for the same month in 2019. Year to date 27,849 new LCVs were registered – an increase on last year’s 20,602 (+35.2%) and also an increase on the 24,304 LCV registrations in 2019 (+14.6%).
Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) saw an increase in October (212 registrations) when compared to October 2020 (155 registrations) and October 2019 (137 registrations). Year to date HGV’s registrations total 2,473 compared with 1,956 in 2020 (+26.4%) and 2,492 in 2019 (-0.8%).
Used Car Imports – October 2021 saw 4,401 used cars imported into Ireland compared with 9,316 imports in October 2020, and an even bigger decrease on the 11,457 imports in October 2019. Year to date used imports are down –5.1% (55,538) on 2020 (58,504) and down 40.8% on 2019 (93,892).
New Electric Vehicles – The 522 new electric vehicles registered in October more than doubled the 254 EV registrations in October 2020. So far this year 8,342 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 3,867 on the same period in 2020. Electric Vehicle, Plug-in Hybrids and Hybrids continue to increase their market share, with their combined market share now over 31.52%. Diesel now accounts for 33.63%, Petrol32.16%, Hybrid 16.14%, Electric 8.08% and Plug-in Electric Hybrid 7.3%.
Top Selling Car Brands in October 2021 – 1. Toyota, 2. Volkswagen, 3. Hyundai, 4. Skoda, 5. Ford.
Top Selling Car Models in October 2021 – 1. Hyundai Tucson, 2. Toyota Corolla, 3. Toyota Yaris, 4. Volkswagen Tiguan, 5. Toyota Rav 4.
Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General commented;
“New car registrations for October were ahead of last year for both the month and for the year to date, although new car sales continue to remain behind pre-COVID levels. With Climate Change at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it is hugely positive to see the year on year growth in the sales of both Electric and Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicles. This is a result of the Motor Industry providing a greater selection of low emitting cars combining with the Government’s support in terms of incentives, giving motorists wider and more affordable choices. This is the right approach, and has led to more consumers making better environmental decisions. It is this joint effort from Industry and Government that must continue if we are to reach our decarbonisation targets. On the contrary the sudden removal of the grant incentive for Plug-in Electric Vehicles, only serves to undermine consumer confidence in lower emitting technologies and this incentive should be re-instated for vehicles already committed to by both the Industry and consumers. Looking forward to 2022 and beyond, it is vital that the current Government supports for Electric Vehicles are extended out until 2025, along with State and private investment in a countrywide charging infrastructure. If we want to rapidly electrify the Irish car and commercial fleet the Industry and Government must work together to give consumers real choice. The Industry can provide solutions by supplying more and more electric vehicles as the decade progresses; the consumer also needs the Government to continue its support, to help them make the transition. We all have a part to play in decarbonising our national transport fleet”.
