Sales of commercial vehicles, including light and heavy goods vehicles, continued to decline in May, reflecting the uncertain economic terrain businesses in Ireland are navigating, an industry body has said.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) said in its monthly report that more than 5,800 cars were registered for the first time in the Republic in May, almost 9 per cent fewer than in the same month last year.
Over the year to date overall registrations are up 2.4 per cent at 79,300.
The increase is largely driven by a rise in the number of imported second-hand car registrations, up 7.9 per cent in May to almost 6,000 and 7.5 per cent in the year so far to more than 28,100.
However, commercial vehicle sales have fallen sharply so far this year, SIMI said. In the light commercial vehicle segment, 1,944 light commercial vehicles were registered in the State in May, bringing to 17,795 the total for the January to May period, an 8.8 per cent decline from last year.
Sales of heavy goods vehicles have also declined sharply, plunging almost 22 per cent in May alone and 10.3 per cent so far this year to just 1,521.
Brian Cooke, director general of SIMI, said declining commercial vehicle sales are a “concern” and a reflection of “the uncertain business environment at present, with many companies deferring investment decisions”.
Meanwhile, SIMI said 1,092 new electric vehicles (EVs) were registered in May, 5.3 per cent ahead of the same period last year, representing the fifth consecutive month of growth. Some 12,392 EVs have now been registered in the State for the first time in 2025, 23.3 per cent higher than the same period last year.
Oliver Holt, UK and Ireland sales manager at fleet management group Geotab, said the latest increase in EV sales is positive but is largely overshadowed by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recent admission that the Republic is way behind on its 2030 climate ambitions.
The Government’s target of having 945,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030 “will be at least 300,000 vehicles short in a best-case scenario”, he said.
“Half a million additional EVs will need to roll off Irish forecourts in order to reach the new projection of 640,000, but with 12,392 sold in Ireland this year to date we remain far off the pace,” Mr Holt said.
“There are some positive signs, with interventions like the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate, which requires relevant bodies to only procure zero-emission vehicles wherever possible, having an impact on public sector procurement decisions.”
However, he said the Government must invest in incentives for EV adoption to avoid “billions in EU fines” for missing its targets.
Mr Cooke, meanwhile, said private consumers will account for the majority of EV sales and more needs to be done to accelerate adoption growth between now and the end of the decade.
