Number of electric vehicles sold in Ireland in first six months down 25% on the same period last year
4 Rate Ev Charging Just Networks Denis Satisfactory' Picture: 'very Of As Drivers 4% Public Minihane
The number of electric vehicles sold in Ireland in the first half of 2024 is down 25% on the same time last year, with a new survey revealing nearly a third of drivers find electric charging points very unsatisfactory.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office show the number of electric cars licenced in Ireland between the start of January and the end of June this year stood at 10,344.
This compares to 13,701 a year prior.
This is a similar decline to the figures provided by the motor industry in Ireland which has urged the Government to provide new ways to incentivise the market for both private and company car buyers.
The CSO statistics also show that there has been a significant increase in new petrol and electric hybrid cars being licenced in Ireland, increasing by 43% in the first six months of 2024.
In a new survey from the AA, it found that just 4.4% of EV drivers rate public charging networks as “very satisfactory”.
Over half (56.54%) say they have a dedicated charging device installed at their home, with a further 6% saying they were planning to install one.
Three in ten (30%) of drivers said they only charge their vehicle when it’s necessary regardless of the time or location, with 8% charging them while they’re at work.
When asked how they felt about the cost of getting these cars on the road, two in five (40%) found EVs to be much cheaper than a traditional petrol or diesel vehicle, while 13% perceived them as much more expensive.
The AA’s head of marketing and PR Jennifer Kilduff said: “The survey reveals that positive environmental factors and a smoother, quieter driving experience are the primary motivators for choosing to drive an EV.
“Addressing these concerns could significantly enhance customer satisfaction and promote further adoption of electric vehicles in Ireland. It's evident that while many drivers appreciate the benefits of electric vehicles, the current infrastructure and cost perceptions are barriers that need to be addressed to make EVs a more carefully considered option for everyone."
Different areas of Munster are already taking steps to improve access to car charging in cities, in particular.
Cork city councillors agreed last month on an ambitious new €22m strategy to install almost 700 publicly available electric vehicle chargers at new charging stations across the city by 2030.
There are about 3,000 electric cars in the city today which accounts for about 3% of all cars in the city. That figure is expected to grow to 36,000 by 2030.
In Limerick, the city and county council recently went out to tender on a €20m electric car charging investment.
The contract will cover the supply, installation, operation, and maintenance of electric car chargers at 12 sites initially as part of an initiative it said would be “one of the first of its kind in Ireland”.