Electric car sales dropped 41pc in Ireland last month as motor industry calls for more Government support

New electric car sales are in freefall, new figures show.

Last month they plunged by 41.4pc and so far this year they have fallen by 19.1pc, according to the latest data from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

The slide continues a trend which began last September although sales recovered stoutly to plateau in January.

But since then, the rot appears to have set in. The decline in registrations is being felt across Europe too as nervous potential buyers hold off on making a decision on what and when to buy.

Prices have already fallen sharply in many instances, and there is an expectation of further reductions as more brands vie for share in a shrinking market.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are still regarded by many as being too expensive to buy and are taking too long to pay back the extra investment.

Concerns about sufficient public and private charging points to remove ‘range anxiety’ are also keeping many drivers from committing at this stage.

And that is all parallel to the perception, not necessarily always true, that BEVs will lose an inordinate amount of value in a short timespan as newer, more efficient models continue to come on stream.

SIMI’s director general Brian Cooke says that supply of new EVs is no longer an issue. The fall is linked with the surge in the number of brands now selling battery electric vehicles (BEVs) across so many segments.

Mr Cooke said: “The drop in BEV sales is demand driven. In Ireland private consumers have been the key drivers of the EV market, and these buyers need greater re-assurances to be convinced to make the change.”

He said that means rapid investment by the government in a reliable, convenient, and affordable electric charging infrastructure. At the same time, we need the government to extend current incentives such as the purchase grant, Mr Cooke said.

As far as businesses and their employees go, there is a need to extend the benefit-In kind (BIK) relief and thresholds at current levels beyond 2024.

Last month 1,091 new BEVs cars were registered. That is 41.4pc down on the corresponding period in 2023 (1,863).

It means that, so far this year, 9,028 new electric cars have been registered – a 19.1pc decrease compared with the corresponding timespan for 2023 when 11,160 were registered.

The slide also brings into sharper focus the higher volumes of non-BEVs.

New car registrations generally for April were down 3.6pc (8,591) but year to date are up 6pc (71,110 v 67,063 last year).

Used imports rose 35.6pc (to 5,206) in April and are 26.9pc up on 2003.

Petrol cars lead the new-car market at 32.92pc, diesel is holding with 23.56pc. Petrol-electric hybrid sales account for 20.44pc. Electric (BEV) cars are now at 12.70pc with plug-ins on 8.76pc.

All eyes will now be on the build-up to the second-registration period which begins in July, to see how BEVs fare. Consumers can expect a massive push by brands to slow or turn around the downward trend. And that should mean even more price adjustments.

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