According to new data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), 196 new electric cars were registered in Waterford between January and March 2023
The number of electric cars sold in Waterford during the first quarter of this year increased slightly when compared to the number sold during the same period in 2023.
According to new data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), 196 new electric cars were registered in Waterford between January and March - representing 14.13% of all new cars sold across the city and county.
Nearly a quarter (24.58%) of new cars sold in Waterford over the three months were hybrid models while 61.29% were either petrol or diesel fuelled.
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Meanwhile, the latest figures show that sales of new cars in Waterford, across all categories, fell by just under 6% during January, February and March compared to twelve months ago.
According to SIMI, a total of 1,387 new cars were registered across Waterford city and county over the three month period - down from 1,466 in 2023.
The five most popular make and model of new cars sold in Waterford during the first quarter of 2024 were: Hyundai Tucson (65), Skoda Octavia (59), Nissan Qashqai (40), Toyota Yaris Cross (38), and Kia Sportage (38).
The five most popular make and model of EV were: Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen ID.3, BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3.
Commenting on the latest figures, Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General said: “While the new car market started strongly in the first two months of the year, March proved to be much more difficult (nationally). New car sales showed a 16% decrease in the same month last year, although sales for the first quarter remain 8% ahead of 2023."
Mr Cooke added: "Sales across all fuel types were behind last year, with the Electric Vehicle segment seeing a notable decline. This highlights the ongoing challenge of transitioning to electrification, as we move into the mainstream car market. The electrification of the fleet requires increased collaboration between all stakeholders to bridge this current chasm in the market."
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