New car registrations: up 39% in May 2026

Consumers driving battery electric vehicle growth

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has released its official 261 new vehicle registration statistics for May.

New car registrations for May were up 38.58% (8,068) compared to May 2025 (5,822). Registrations year to date are up 4.7% (83,038) on the same period last year (79,313).

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) increased by 22.3% (2,324) compared to May last year (1,900). Year to date LCVs are up 15% (20,410). Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations are up 28% (265) in comparison to May 2025 (207). Year to date, HGVs are down 4.3% (1,457).

Imported Used Cars have seen a 31.2% (7,808) rise in May 2026, when compared to May 2025 (5,948). Year to date imports are up 38.2% (38,960) on 2025 (28,183).

In May 2,335 new electric cars (battery electric cars) were registered, which was 115% higher than the 1,086 registrations in May 2025. So far this year, 19,050 new electric cars have been registered, representing a 53.82% increase compared to the same period in 2025, when 12,385 electric cars were registered.

In the new car market share by engine type, Hybrid (Petrol Electric) continues to lead the market at 26.14% as the most popular engine type, followed by Electric 22.94%, Petrol 21.41%, Plug-In Hybrid 14.28%, and Diesel 12.94%.

Emma Mitchell, Operations Director SIMI, commented “May’s new car registrations saw a 39% increase when compared to the same month last year, with 8,068 units registered. Year-to-date new car sales are 4.7% ahead of last year, with a total of 83,038 new cars registered.

New Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) registrations continue to experience strong growth across all counties, with 2,335 units registered in May, up from 1,086 units in May of last year. Notably, consumers are driving this growth, accounting for 77% of BEV registrations so far this year, with incentives continuing to encourage the switch to electric vehicles. Year-to-date BEV registrations reached 19,050 units, representing a 23% market share. While BEV registrations are positive, we are now at a critical juncture to sustain the strong growth in a market that is not yet fully established. The government must capitalise on this momentum by maintaining and extending current incentives for consumers, and encourage more businesses to change to Battery Electric Vehicles.”