Registrations of new cars in Ireland have continued to fall, dropping by 17 per cent in January 2021, in spite of hopes early in the month that the fall in sales could be somewhat arrested. In spite of the fact that the fall is less than the overall reduction in sales for last year, and is in comparison to a 'non-COVID' January 2020, the figures will be a disappointment to the industry as it tries to pick itself up to face a post-pandemic life.
Mitigated the full impact of the pandemic
Commenting on the new vehicle registrations figures Tom Cullen SIMI Deputy Director General said: "New car registrations are down 17 per cent on January 2020, the fifth consecutive January that new car sales have fallen, although this year's registrations must be seen in the context of the pandemic and associated restrictions. Strong pre-orders coming into the New Year and the ability of the industry to provide both on-line shopping and a click and deliver service, has mitigated somewhat against the full impact of the pandemic in January. On a positive note, despite the fall in new cars sales both Electric Vehicles and PHEVS are ahead of last January, and with more models and supply coming on stream as the year progresses, it is anticipated that this growth will continue. It is vital for society and business that the current restrictions succeed in driving down the incidence of COVID and with the delivery of COVID vaccines, we hope that business can return to more normal levels once the health situation allows. In the meantime, to protect long term employment and local businesses, it is essential that the current Government business and employee supports remain in place."
Imports up slightly
Electric car sales, once again, provided a point of hope, climbing slightly compared to January 2020 - 980 new EVs were registered in Jan 2021, compared to 891 in the same month last year. Diesel continues to be the preferred motive power for Irish buyers, though, albeit by a much narrower margin. Of all the cars registered in January, diesel held 35.85 per cent of the market, compared to petrol on 34.7 per cent; hybrid on 19.12 per cent; plug-in hybrids on 4.23 per cent; and electric cars on 3.89 per cent.
Somewhat surprisingly, given the new post-Brexit regulations and costs, imports of used cars actually grew slightly, by 3.1 per cent, compared to last January. 6,824 used cars were imported in January 2021, compared to 6,622 in the same month last year.
Toyota has taken the number one spot in the brands' sales chart, while Hyundai holds the best-seller sport in terms of models, with the new Tucson. In brand terms, Toyota is followed by Hyundai, Volkswagen, Ford, Skoda, Nissan, Kia, Peugeot, Renault, and SEAT. Behind the Tucson in the models chart are the Toyota Corolla, Toyota RAV4, Ford Focus, Toyota Yaris, Toyota CH-R, Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf, Hyundai Kona and Volkswagen Tiguan.
Click-and-deliver
Stephen Gleeson Managing Director at Hyundai commented: "We are delighted to see the Tucson back at number one in the Market, key to its success is its striking new design but also the ability of our dealer network to give honest advice to consumers as to the correct engine type for them. Our overall Market share performance - 2731 units - 10.84 per cent of the market - is also satisfying given we are still waiting on deliveries of the all-new Santa Fe seven-seat plug-in hybrid, as well as supplies of the all new i20." Mr Gleeson also confirmed that all Hyundai dealers in Ireland are offering a 'click-and-deliver' sales service.
Commenting on the January market numbers, Steve Tormey, Chief Executive of Toyota Ireland, said: "The preference for self-charging hybrids continues to go from strength to strength. Considering overall market penetration for hybrid cars was at 5.5 per cent just three years ago, the consumer mindset shift towards more sustainable motoring is really gathering pace now and the tide is starting to turn against higher emitting vehicles like diesel.
"While Toyota has been pushing the sustainability agenda for more than 20 years, it feels like Ireland is finally coming to the crossroads and starting to tip things in the favour of our planet. However, with diesel still accounting for almost 37 per cent of the market it's clear that we still have a long journey ahead of us, despite the promising growth in both hybrids and BEVs. The Government's introduction of the new CO2 related tax bands does seem to be having the right impact though, with 82 per cent of all new car sales in January qualifying within the A band. We at Toyota are proud to say that over 99 per cent of all the cars we sold in 2021 to date have been under 111grams/km. As the lowest CO2 mass market brand in Ireland, Toyota hybrid vehicles sold in 2019 and 2020 will have saved over 100,000 tonnes of CO2 from the environment over their lifetime, compared to petrol and diesel cars.
"Toyota's focus on hybrid epitomises our commitment to our brand promise, 'Built for a Better World', which aims to make life better for Irish families and future generations by providing more sustainable mobility solutions. Staying true to our Kaizen principles of continuous improvement, our new highly affordable Yaris hybrid is proven to drive up to 80 per cent of the time in zero emissions mode in city driving conditions. With the widest range of cost-effective electrified cars in Ireland, Toyota is ensuring when it comes to choosing your next car, being environmentally conscious doesn't need to cost the Earth."