UK (Commonwealth) _New electric vehicle (EV) sales are down 21.85% from the previous year, and their percentage of Ireland’s total new car market has fallen below 13%. For seven of the previous nine months, EV sales have decreased.
In contrast, despite a decline in May registrations, new automobile sales are up 3.8% so far this year. Both new gasoline and diesel vehicle sales have increased over the previous year. Of all new automobile sales, gasoline models account for 33.3% of the market, while diesel vehicles account for 23%.
Regular hybrids account for 22% of sales, demonstrating the popularity of hybrids despite the decline in completely electric sales whereas 9% of vehicles are plug-in hybrids, or PHEVs. Although sales of new cars were down 15% from the previous year in May, totaling 77,453 as of the end of the month, they were still 6,407 for the month.
Toyota continues to be the best-selling brand of new cars, with 11,479 registrations, 8.3% more than the previous year. Second place goes to Volkswagen with 8,332, then Skoda with 8,012, Hyundai with 7,061, and Kia with 5.
With 3,366 registrations, the Hyundai Tucson is the best-selling new vehicle, surpassing the Octavia from Skoda (3,100) and the Sportage from Kia (2,524). The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi) director general, Brian Cooke, stated: “Since EV sales in Ireland are driven by individual consumers,
We must shift our attention back to these customers; they want further assurances regarding their investment in electric vehicles, including at the very least the continuation of the present incentives and the provision of an infrastructure for electric charging.
“We also need to postpone the phase-out of the benefit-in-kind concession until EVs become firmly established. Ireland has been lagging behind other markets in the company car market.” The Simi numbers coincide with data showing that, despite the fear of impending higher taxes on China-made electric vehicle imports, registrations of these vehicles increased by 23% in Europe between January and April of last year as compared to the same period the previous year.
Throughout the first four years of registration, there were 119,300 Chinese-made EVs throughout Western Europe, including the UK in the first four months of 2024, making up one in every five electric cars brought into the area, according to Schmidt Automotive Research, a company that tracks sales of battery-powered cars throughout Europe. – Further information provided by the Financial Times Limited in 2024
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https://www.ft.com/content/1e8791b5-277a-4e03-ab72-b73218c4bd4fDespite the possibility of higher tariffs on battery-run electric vehicles, the number of Chinese-made electric vehicle registrations in Europe increased by 23% between January and April of last year.
Schmidt Automotive Research, which tracks battery-run car sales in Europe, reports that in the first four months of 2024, 119,300 Chinese-made electric cars (EVs) were registered in Western Europe, including the UK. This represents one in five of all electric vehicles imported into the area.
“Chinese automakers continue to produce high-quality vehicles because they currently offer the best opportunity for profit on electrical vehicles,” stated Matthias Schmidt, the founder of a data research organization. Due in part to the EU’s 10% duty on Chinese imports of electric vehicles, the EU has emerged as the preferred destination for Chinese exporters. The cars were subject to a 100% tariff by the US last month.
The deadline for Brussels to announce any action is July 4. Brussels is anticipated to finalize an investigation into whether Beijing’s subsidies have helped EVs built in China undercut European automobiles. This step is expected to result in higher tariffs.
“Everyone is anticipating the [imminent Chinese] retaliation and the tariff decision,” stated Björn Conrad, CEO of Sinolytics, a consulting firm with a focus on China. In the first four months of registration, 54% of Chinese-produced EVs were registered under Western and Japanese names, including Tesla, Volkswagen, and Honda; Chinese brands, such MG and BYD, made up the remaining 41%.
