EV sales in Ireland jumped 55% in October, and electric cars are now the most popular choice for Irish new car buyers this year. According to SIMI, 1,092 new battery-electric cars were registered last month, up from 706 in October 2025, out of 2,501 new cars in total.
That puts electric cars at 43.7% of the October market, up from 32.4% a year earlier. Over the year so far, 36,270 new EVs have been registered, 57% more than at this point in 2025, giving them a 27.74% share. That's ahead of petrol-electric hybrids at 23.54% and petrol at 19.43%.
EV sales in Ireland so far in 2026
The growth in the market this year is all electric. Total new car registrations are up 6%, from 123,855 to 130,754, an increase of 6,899 cars. Electric car registrations alone are up by 13,188. Everything else combined (petrol, diesel, hybrids and plug-in hybrids) has fallen by 6,289 cars, or about 6%, to 94,484.
| Fuel type | Share of new cars, 2026 so far |
|---|---|
| Battery electric | 27.74% |
| Hybrid (petrol-electric) | 23.54% |
| Petrol | 19.43% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 14.99% |
| Diesel | 12.31% |
(Source: SIMI, registrations to the end of October 2026.)
The pace has picked up sharply. A year ago, EVs made up about 18.6% of new cars registered between January and October; this year it's more than a quarter. Diesel is now the least popular of the five main fuel types.
October's 43.7% share flatters the picture a little. It's one of the quietest months of the year for new registrations, because most Irish buyers wait for the new registration plates in January and July, so a single month can swing. Even so, it continues a trend that has run all year.
Which electric cars Irish buyers are choosing
The Volkswagen ID.4 was both Ireland's best-selling new car and its best-selling EV in October, and it leads the EV table for the year too. The top five electric models so far in 2026 are the Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model 3 and Skoda Elroq. By brand, Kia leads EV sales, ahead of Volkswagen, Hyundai, Tesla and Skoda.
That list will change next year. The ID.4 is being replaced by the ID. Tiguan, which Volkswagen Ireland has priced from €38,635 including the SEAI grant and VRT relief, with orders opening on 9 November and deliveries due in April 2027.
EV buying isn't just a Dublin story. SIMI's operations director, Emma Mitchell, says 61% of new electric cars registered this year were registered outside Dublin, with growth in both urban and rural areas. She credits government support and manufacturers' offers for keeping demand strong.
Most of that support stays in place for 2027. Budget 2027 extended VRT relief of up to €5,000 on electric cars to the end of 2028, so Irish list prices shouldn't jump in January when the relief was originally due to end (see [our article on the VRT extension](/posts/vrt-relief-electric-cars-extended-2028)). The SEAI purchase grant gives up to €3,500 off a new electric car, but since 1 August it only applies to cars costing €50,000 or less, down from €60,000. SEAI hasn't yet confirmed the grant's terms for 2027, so it's the incentive to watch as the 271 registration period approaches.
How Ireland compares with the rest of Europe
Ireland's 27.74% share is ahead of the EU average. Across the EU, battery-electric cars took 22.7% of new registrations between January and September, according to the European carmakers' association ACEA. Norway remains in a league of its own: 98.8% of new cars registered there in October were electric.
The rest of the Irish market is moving too, if less dramatically. Light commercial vehicle registrations were up 2% in October and 7% for the year, and used car imports rose 15% in October to 7,831 and are up 32% for the year at 79,969. SIMI doesn't give a fuel breakdown for imports.
November and December are usually quiet months for new car sales in Ireland, so the year's final share will largely depend on how the remaining months go. With the VRT relief extended, the grant still in place and new models such as the Leapmotor B03X arriving now and the ID. Tiguan next spring, EVs look set to finish 2026 as Ireland's most popular choice.
(Figures from SIMI, published 2 November 2026. Grant and tax rules correct at 4 November 2026.)