Electric vehicles gaining ground on petrol and diesel motors

Gross sales of petrol and diesel autos have fallen under pre-pandemic levels in 2019, though electric powered automobiles (EVs) proceed to attain ground, new figures from the Central Data Business office present.

The number of new EVs on the street is up by 40%, with last month looking at the best at any time range of electric powered automobile registrations.

The slide in petrol and diesel product sales is not just down to far more electric powered cars on the roads, but also a drop in commuter journeys as extra men and women work from house, assistance station homeowners say. Unleaded petrol product sales final year hit 931 million litres, which was 13% larger than in 2021 – which noticed pandemic lockdowns for component of the calendar year – but 11% lower than pre-pandemic in 2019.

And about 3.6 billion litres of diesel have been pumped previous yr, an raise of 6% on 2021 but a slide of 2.5% on 2019.

Eco-friendly Occasion transportation spokesman Brian Leddin TD claimed that motorists should be choosing to go electric somewhat than incorporating EVs to the fleet we have.

“The inclination now is for greater electric powered car or truck sales, and the figures look to bear that out,” he said. “What is critical is that we see electric powered automobiles changing sales of petrol and diesel autos and not simply adding to the total income.”

The amount of new EVs registered in January, the busiest month of the yr for new motor vehicle gross sales, surged by 40% to 2,531, an further 718 on the very same thirty day period previous yr. On the other hand, hybrids and plug-in hybrid car or truck product sales are each down. New hybrid registrations dropped from 4,850 in January past calendar year to 3,719 very last thirty day period, a fall of 23%. Plug-in hybrids are down 14%, from 1,507 to 1,291.

Petrol rates have fallen from their peak of €2 a litre past summer season to about €1.63 now, when diesel is around €1.70 a litre. Excise responsibility was slice by 20c a litre for petrol and 15c a litre for diesel to relieve the load on motorists. The Government is currently thinking about an finish to the lower and reinstating the responsibility – which would ship prices back in the direction of the €2 mark – but has not manufactured a definite final decision.

Irish Petrol Suppliers Affiliation main Michael Griffin claimed: “Gas profits however have not recovered from the pandemic and I would say electric powered autos are a element and individuals performing from residence definitely is.”

Modern society of the Irish Motor Field director common Brian Cooke stated: “We are however in the early stages of the electric powered car task and the the latest announcement of enhanced funding by the Condition for the national charging infrastructure will support allay array anxiousness issues.

“Nevertheless, this amplified investment decision must not be at the cost of order supports, which are important in encouraging the behavioural modify required to encourage a lot more buyers to go electric.

“The extension of grants, lessened tolling prices and VRT reliefs, as well as halting the reduction in the EV profit-in-type reliefs, should be on the agenda.”