Ireland lifts Europe's EV boom - BEV sales in Ireland up 57% and Wexford jumps 82%

At a glance

EU BEV year-to-date share (Jan-Sep 2026)

22.7% (about 1.93 million battery-electric cars).

EU BEV September 2026

290,117 battery-electric registrations in September 2026 (c. +73% year-on-year).

Irish BEV registrations (Jan-Sep 2026)

35,195 new battery-electric cars - up 57.3% on 2025.

Wexford EV growth (Jan-Sep 2026)

1,004 new BEVs in Wexford vs 551 last year - an 82.2% rise.

Irish motorists considering an EV

Carzone research: 56% of motorists said higher pump prices make them more likely to consider an EV.

EU figures released today

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) released its September 2026 registration update today, showing strong momentum for electrified cars across the bloc. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations surged in September and lifted the January-September BEV share to about 22.7% of the EU market.

ACEA's numbers have been picked up across the press because petrol and diesel registrations continue to fall in many markets while hybrids and BEVs make up an ever larger slice of new registrations. The headline EU market expansion in the first nine months was reported as modest growth overall, with the BEV jump doing much of the heavy lifting.

An Irish slice of a European trend

Ireland's industry data show the same story at home. The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) reports 35,195 new battery-electric cars registered in Ireland from January to the end of September 2026 - a 57.3% increase on the same period in 2025.

The county breakdown in the SIMI release shows rapid local change: Wexford registered 1,004 new BEVs versus 551 last year, an increase of 82.2%, while Dublin and Cork remain the biggest BEV markets in absolute terms. Those county-level swings underline that electrification is now spreading beyond the main urban centres.

What it means for Irish drivers

Put simply: more choice and faster transition, but costs and charging still matter. As ACEA's numbers show, manufacturers are supplying more electric models across Europe, and SIMI's Irish tables show drivers are responding by registering many more BEVs.

That interest is visible in consumer research. Carzone's recent survey found 56% of Irish motorists said higher petrol and diesel prices made them more likely to consider an EV - but nearly three in ten named rising electricity costs and charging prices as barriers. That tension - pump versus plug - will shape buying decisions in 2027 and beyond.

For Irish households the practical questions remain: can you charge at home, what will public fast charging cost, and will grants or tax settings change in Budget 2027? SIMI has already called for the Government to extend BEV supports in next year's Budget to sustain the momentum.

Policy and dealer angles to watch

European-level debates about rules, local production and incentives are also active this week. Think tanks and Brussels commentators warned that some industrial policy proposals could complicate the transition by distorting trade and investment decisions - an argument that matters for Ireland as a small open economy in the EU supply chain.

At home, dealers and manufacturers will be watching Budget 2027 closely: SIMI wants supports retained to keep consumer demand and dealer order banks healthy, while buyers will be sensitive to VRT, motor tax and any changes to EV grant rules that affect total cost of ownership. The incoming 271 registration period (January 2027) also means a fresh wave of model updates and offers from dealers in the months ahead.