Have we already missed the boat to hit one million EVs on Irish roads by the end of the decade? The short answer is yes.
In Ireland, we sell roughly 120,000 new cars per year. There are around 125,000 electric cars already registered in Ireland. We’re already well into 2025, so it’s estimated that between now and 2030 we’ll put around 600,000 new cars on Irish roads, which would bring us up to 725,000 – but not all of those 600,000 cars will be fully electric.
This year, it looks as if the proportion of electric cars in our new car registrations is likely to be somewhere around the 20 per cent mark, maybe 25 per cent if there’s a big rush for EVs with the arrival of new, more affordable models. In theory, that percentage should rise over the next few years, but even so we’re already well past the point where it’s mathematically possible to put one million electric cars on Irish roads within the next five years.
According to Darren Kinsella, business development manager for new energy landscapes with Schneider Electric: “The longer we wait to implement strategies that will accelerate the rollout of EV charging infrastructures, the more sceptical drivers will become about the ability to keep EVs on the road – so the time to act is now. One of the most immediate barriers to EV adoption is affordability. The Climate Action Council’s proposal for substantial subsidies to reduce EV costs could be a game-changer, especially for lower- and middle-income buyers. Government-backed incentives, such as grants and tax relief, have already driven early adoption, and expanding these measures could make EVs more accessible. For example, the first Zero Emissions Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) EV Recharging Infrastructure Light Duty Vehicle National Road Grant Scheme was launched by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and ZEVI in February 2024. A total of 131 high-powered recharging points will be built across 17 recharging pools, but further investment is needed to sustain momentum.
“Insufficient charging infrastructure and range anxiety are also critical factors. While Ireland had over 2,400 public charging points as of February 2024, there are still gaps, particularly in rural areas. It is expected that there will be 3,200 to 6,210 public chargers required nationally. Addressing this requires significant infrastructure expansion, and this is where private sector involvement is crucial. Companies like Schneider Electric are already playing a key role in supporting EV adoption by providing advanced charging solutions for homes, businesses, and fleets.”
As far as the motor trade in Ireland is concerned, the opportunity to hit the one million target by 2030 is fast passing us by. “We expect to see increased EV growth in Ireland over the next five years dependent on the retention of Government incentives to support this growth as the country attempts to move to sustainabe mobility,” says Ronan Flood, managing director of Kia Ireland. “However, the next target is challenging as we need to significantly increase the number of EVs on Irish roads within that period, this will require work from the industry and increased Government incentives to further encourage EV adoption.
“There are many ways that the market can be stimulated including increased vehicle grants, EV scrappage schemes, a salary sacrifice scheme similar to the bike to work scheme, reinstating the €600 home charger grant, fleet incentives for companies, clarity and certainty on benefit in kind (BIK) over the lifetime of vehicle ownership – not just the first year as we have now with huge increases to follow when exemptions are lifted – and reopening of electric public service vehicle (eSPV) grants. Reaching the 2030 figure will not be achieved without sustained commitment and support from the industry and the Government together.”
One idea floated in the Climate Action Council’s report on Ireland’s progress towards meeting its CO2 commitments is that a ramping up of subsidies and incentives for electric cars could significantly increase sales and get us closer to the one million number.
Would that work? It’s debatable – after all, the prices of new EVs are fast equalising with their petrol and diesel brothers, so extra incentives on the price may not make that big of a difference. However, Ciaran Allen, sales director at Motor Distributors Limited, one of Ireland’s biggest car importers, asks if Government can simply stand back in the hope that everything will be all right on the night and the one million mark will be reached or must it make an intervention to incentivise and stimulate EV demand? “Real-life evidence across Europe is clear: introduce incentives and the EV share increases, remove incentives and the EV share decreases,” he points out. “The message would be: the more incentives Government can give to support dealers, EV distributors, and the car-buying public in Ireland in our collective efforts to embrace emissions-free motoring, the better it will be for all concerned.”
