The recent sales figures for the first quarter of 2023 yielded interesting EV-related data. The Volkswagen ID.4 has overtaken the Nissan Leaf as the best-selling electric car in Ireland of all time.
Beating the Leaf
Now, 'of all time' is a little bit of a flexible phrase at the moment. After all, electric cars have only really been on sale in Ireland for slightly more than a decade. For most of that decade, there were really only two EVs on sale - the Leaf and the Renault Zoe - and now we're in a period of incredibly rapid proliferation of electric cars. This means that the ID.4 probably won't hold on to the title for long, as the market is changing quickly.
That said, an achievement is an achievement, and the ID.4 has hit its sales milestone after only two years on sale. Up to the end of March, the mid-sized EV crossover has found 5,876 homes in Ireland.
Number one in EVs this year
It's probably sold a few more since then, as VW points out that Irish ID.4 sales are up 134 per cent on the same period last year (probably much of that is down to an increase in supply rather than demand). So far this year, the ID.4 is retaining its position as the best-selling EV in the country, with a 16 per cent share of the total market for electric cars.
Overall, Volkswagen has 22 per cent of the total EV market, which does not include total group EV sales, which would also count Audi, Skoda, and Cupra.
Rodolfo Calixto, Volkswagen Brand Director for Ireland, said: "The outstanding popularity of the ID.4 cannot be attributed to one single element. It is down to a combination of factors, such as timeless design, outstanding electric range, unbeatable sustainability as well as class-leading comfort and space. Becoming the all-time leading electric vehicle is an important milestone. But, here at Volkswagen Ireland we refuse to rest on our laurels. We are investing more into electric vehicles than any other brand and are determined to position ourselves as the world's leader in electro mobility. Records such as this are recognition that our New Auto strategy is paying off but the real hard work lies ahead of us as we journey towards full carbon neutrality."
Massive investment
Volkswagen recently announced a massive €180 billion investment in EV tech, including building massive 'gigafactory' battery production facilities in Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Canada. This year will also see the launch of the new ID.7 electric saloon, which is purported to have a range of more than 700km on one charge.
In Ireland, the ID.4 range expanded this year by introducing a base model with a 53kWh battery pack and a 330km range, which can be bought for €289 per month on a PCP finance package.