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Extra information
For more information on this release:
E-mail: transport@cso.ie Sandra O'Riordan (+353) 21 453 5544 Colm Hayes (+353) 21 453 5263 Stephen Daly (+353) 21 453 5039
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-5678

This release has been compiled during the COVID-19 crisis. The results contained in this release reflect some of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 situation. For further information see Press Statement Vehicles licensed for the first time September 2021.

CSO statistical release, , 11am

Vehicles licensed for the first time

September 2021

 September January - September
20202021Change 20202021Change
New private cars5,7476,354607 77,62094,97217,35222.4%
New goods vehicles2,4213,109688 16,73823,4396,70140.0%
New other vehicles9141,066152 9,22710,5011,27413.8%
Total new vehicles9,08210,5291,447 103,585128,91225,32724.5%
         
Used private cars9,3005,056-4,244 52,18855,8273,6397.0%
Used goods vehicles1,315818-497 7,9018,4595587.1%
Used other vehicles1,3531,055-298 7,63910,8083,16941.5%
Total used vehicles11,9686,929-5,039 67,72875,0947,36610.9%

6,354 new private cars were licensed in September 2021

Figure 1 New private cars licensed for the first time
go to full release

In September 2021, 6,354 new private cars were licensed in Ireland, compared with 5,747 in September 2020, an increase of 10.6%. This compares with 4,104 new private cars licensed in September 2019.

In addition, the number of used (imported) private cars licensed fell from 9,300 in September 2020 to 5,056 in September 2021. This compares with 9,868 used (imported) private cars licensed in September 2019.

Looking at the first nine months of 2021, a total of 94,972 new private cars were licensed, an increase of 22.4% compared with the same period last year. The number of used (imported) private cars licensed increased by 7.0% compared with the same period in 2020.

Electric and hybrid cars continue to grow in popularity. One third (33.3%) of all new cars licensed in the first nine months of 2021 are either electric or hybrid cars (that both plug-in and do not), compared with 19.6% of new cars licensed in the first nine months of 2020.

Looking exclusively at electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), those constitute 15.3% of all new cars licensed for the first time in the first nine months of 2021 compared to 7.1% in the first nine months of 2020. This means that out of all new private cars, the share of new electric and plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) has more than doubled.

The licensing figures also show that:

  • In September 2021, Volkswagen (729) was the most popular make of new private car licensed followed by Toyota (700), Hyundai (591), Skoda (430) and Kia (416). Together these five makes represent more than half (45.1%) of all new private cars licensed in September 2021. See table 3.
  • In the first nine months of 2021, 34.1% of all new private cars licensed were diesel, compared with 43.0% in the same period for 2020. Of new private cars licensed in the same period, 81.4% were in the A/B CO2 emissions bands. See table 2B.
  • In September 2021, 3,109 new goods vehicles were licensed in Ireland, an increase of 28.4% compared with September 2020 and 1,417 more vehicles than in September 2019 See table 1.
  • On a seasonally adjusted basis, new private cars licensed increased by 11.4% in September 2021 compared with August 2021. The number of seasonally adjusted used (imported) private cars licensed fell by 9.5% over the same period. See table 4 and figure 4.
  • In 2021 to date, 0.7% of imported private cars licensed were less than one year old (vehicles previously registered abroad in 2021) while 6.3% were ten years old or older. See table 5 and figure 5.
  • There were 32,341 new diesel private cars licensed in the first nine months of 2021, compared with 33,368 in the same period in 2020. For used (imported) diesel private cars, the total licensed was 31,304 in the first nine months of 2021. This compares with 34,435 in the same period last year. See table 6.

Registration and licensing figures may differ in a given month for a number of reasons, some of which are outlined below:

  • Vehicles registered in the latter part of a particular month may not be licensed until a later month because of the time lapse between registration and first licensing.
  • In some cases, a vehicle may be registered by a dealership in advance of a sale.
  • Registered vehicles which are not used in a public place (e.g. tractors for use exclusively on the land) may not need to be licensed.

Seasonally adjusting the Vehicle Licensing series during the COVID-19 crisis period will be challenging until the scale and shape of its impact on the time series is better understood. The initial seasonally adjusted results might be revised for some months ahead as future observations become available. Users should be aware that there is increased uncertainty around the seasonally adjusted figures during this period.

Most popular makes of new cars, September 2021
Volkswagen 11.5
Hyundai 9.3
Toyota 11
Kia 6.5
Skoda 6.8
Other54.9
Most popular makes of new cars September 2020
Volkswagen 13.1
Hyundai 5.4
Toyota 8.6
Kia 6.8
Skoda 8.6
Other57.5
Table 1: Number of vehicles licensed for the first time classified by taxation class
Taxation ClassSeptember January - September
201920202021 201920202021
New vehicles    
New Private Cars 4,1045,7476,354 107,68677,62094,972
New Goods Vehicles 1,6922,4213,109 21,23216,73823,439
New Tractors 118177193 1,9021,8632,111
New Motor Cycles 140163240 1,6041,4611,964
New Exempt Vehicles 454454448 5,3884,9665,095
New Other 120120185 1,5889371,331
Total New Vehicles 6,6289,08210,529 139,400103,585128,912
       
Used (imported) vehicles       
Used private cars 9,8689,3005,056 80,08552,18855,827
Used goods vehicles 1,2711,315818 11,4457,9018,459
Used tractors 177282222 2,0251,7662,723
Used motorcycles 316451274 2,9682,4322,865
Used other vehicles 593620559 5,1823,4415,220
Total used vehicles 12,22511,9686,929 101,70567,72875,094
        
Total all vehicles 18,85321,05017,458 241,105171,313204,006
Table 2A: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, September 2021
BandFuel Type Total
PetrolDieselElectricPetrol & electric hybridDiesel & electric hybridPetrol or Diesel plug-in electric hybrid Other
A 3933128766227511172,738
B 1,25099602521002,499
C 3213610311600801
D 5499011200166
E 28320800068
F 3340100038
G 740000011
Not available0330000033
Total2,0561,871876897126511176,354
Table 2B: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, January-September 2021
BandFuel TypeTotal
PetrolDieselElectricPetrol & electric hybridDiesel & electric hybridPetrol or Diesel plug-in electric hybridOther
A 6,4235,3817,4709,225447,07024035,853
B 18,76716,74505,546345172741,447
C 4,2937,4390491,5044013,289
D 9391,74402587002,948
E 223517068200810
F 3237808000418
G 675000000117
Not available3870000090
Total30,74732,3417,47015,1541,9027,09126794,972
Table 3: Number of new and used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time by make1, September 2021
MakeSeptember January - September
NewUsed (imported)Total NewUsed (imported)Total
Audi 2484717193,8295,4139,242
BMW 3004967964,0175,6779,694
Citroen 107521599057851,690
Dacia 99171161,9281542,082
Fiat 98594212711923
Ford 3725178896,8555,36512,220
Honda 442502946712,0772,748
Hyundai 5911887799,6722,83212,504
Jaguar 83442161397558
Kia 4161015175,9961,5597,555
Land Rover 121501718227641,586
Lexus 2362853597151,074
Mazda 62411031,0585131,571
Mercedes Benz 1552584132,8603,5526,412
Mini 3841795465521,098
Mitsubishi 1668842827951,077
Nissan 3733156884,1523,8758,027
Opel 24312442,69832,701
Peugeot 2041283325,0221,4306,452
Renault 3491004493,8281,1624,990
Seat 313603733,7147424,456
Skoda 4301605908,0891,7989,887
Ssangyong 1111282587
Subaru 2810296190
Suzuki 89611501,1254201,545
Tesla 141214374564809
Toyota 7004081,10811,7403,77215,512
Vauxhall 016916901,7581,758
Volkswagen 7297731,50211,5927,09818,690
Volvo 81931741,2191,2372,456
Other80461267645411,305
Total6,3545,05611,410 94,97255,827150,799
1 The information in this table is available in much greater detail in Databases (see PxStat link below)
X-axis labelUnadjusted dataAdjusted dataTrend
September 201658421158911500
October 201638311157411419
November 201618461099211307
December 2016679865011176
January 2017266681124111034
February 2017169051101810878
March 2017171801078710691
April 2017134271051110498
May 201795811016510321
June 20173585964710169
July 2017213161086010036
August 2017810599259922
September 20174828100089827
October 2017325595149764
November 2017159494439727
December 201760179039724
January 201825813104009747
February 201816501110409784
March 20181608896969794
April 20181155794699780
May 20189362100119748
June 2018371695989707
July 20182074399889671
August 2018768194279634
September 2018439795609595
October 2018287478539571
November 2018164794319583
December 201877899889635
January 20192227994729710
February 20191417897419760
March 20191440496299748
April 201913794100239662
May 2019912695889486
June 2019385893139262
July 20191874184779050
August 2019720292458895
September 2019410484698837
October 2019321487858868
November 2019167694028971
December 201972989989099
January 20202066591069225
February 20201326392869354
March 20201023962376155
April 202013381011995
May 2020149016731713
June 2020218943883855
July 20201532971116909
August 2020736096379900
September 202057471108311332
October 202041891184811608
November 2020146879217832
December 20201032123718028
January 20211694882848257
January 20211167283588548
March 20211067258358915
April 2021821466459382
May 2021733780449944
June 20214980936710565
July 2021202329900
August 2021856310819
September 2021635412050
Table 4: Seasonally adjusted number of vehicles licensed for the first time classified by taxation class
Taxation classSeptember 2020August 2021September 2021Monthly % change
New vehicles    
New private cars 11,08310,81912,05011.4
New goods vehicles 2,5972,5403,26928.7
New tractors 23120526227.8
New motor cycles 1722352506.4
New exempt vehicles 5145035234.0
New other 11514317421.7
Total new vehicles 14,71214,44516,52814.4
    
Used (imported) vehicles    
Used private cars 8,7885,3044,800-9.5
Used goods vehicles 1,303920815-11.4
Used tractors 325258256-0.8
Used motorcycles 443274270-1.5
Used other vehicles 579575528-8.2
Total used vehicles 11,4387,3316,669-9.0
    
Total all vehicles 26,15021,77623,1976.5
X-axis label20172018201920202021 to date
<1 year old1.91.91.71.60.7
1-2 years old16.718.317.617.711.6
3-5 years old49.250.850.356.358.2
6-9 years old27.324.425.619.823.1
Over 10 years old4.84.64.84.76.3

Footnote: For the purpose of the analysis of the age profile of used (imported) private cars, calendar years were used to band the age groups. For example, a private car defined as less than one year old is an imported vehicle which has previously been registered abroad for the first time in the current calendar year.

Table 5: Number of new and used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time
Private cars20172018201920202021 Jan-Sept
New127,045121,157113,30584,30994,972
Used (imported) 92,50899,456108,89578,54155,827
Total219,553220,613222,200162,850150,799
% used (imported)42.1%45.1%49.0%48.2%37.0%
Table 6: Number of new and used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time by fuel type
Fuel typeNewUsed (imported)
September January -SeptemberSeptember January - September
20202021 20202021 20202021 20202021
Petrol2,1272,056 29,03630,7472,3751,796 12,37715,988
Diesel2,1611,871 33,36832,3415,9182,386 34,43531,304
Electric596876 3,3457,4705233 280365
Hybrid8631,534 11,87124,147954841 5,0938,170
Other017 026710 30
Total5,7476,354 77,62094,972 9,3005,056 52,18855,827

Background Notes

Source

The vehicle licensing figures are compiled from data supplied by the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division of the Department of Transport. The data provide details on the number of private cars, goods vehicles, motor cycles and other vehicles licensed for the first time in each city and county council, classified by make and size, during a given month.

History

The release titled 'Vehicles Licensed for the First Time' commenced in January 1993. It replaced the series previously published as 'Particulars of Vehicles Registered and Licensed for the First Time'.

In January 1993, separate systems for vehicle registration and licensing were introduced. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners became responsible for the compilation of vehicle registrations while the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government retained responsibility for vehicle licensing. In January 2008, responsibility for vehicle licensing was transferred to the Department of Transport.

Motor tax charges are determined on the basis of CO2 emission level (using seven CO2 bands) for all new cars registered from 1 July 2008.

The licensing process where applicable follows the registration process.

Vehicle Licensing versus Vehicle Registration

The CSO produces vehicle licensing statistics on a monthly basis. Vehicle registration data has not been published on the CSO PxStat since June 2010.

Registration and licensing figures may differ in a given month for a number of reasons, some of which are outlined below:

  • Vehicles which under the previous system would have been licensed in the latter part of a particular month may not now be licensed until a later month because of the time lapse between registration and first licensing.
  • Registered vehicles which are not used in a public place (e.g. tractors for use exclusively on the land) may not need to be licensed.

The question is often asked, which reflects better vehicle sales, licensing figures or registration figures?

In practice, on a monthly basis, the licensing data is probably a better reflection of sales. In some cases, a vehicle may be registered by a dealership in advance of a sale. Whereas, typically, vehicles are only licensed at the point of sale. However, if a vehicle is purchased towards the end of a month, the buyer may wish to defer collecting and licensing it until the start of the following month. So the issue is not clear-cut.

From 31 October 1999, detailed information on agricultural vehicles is no longer published in accordance with Commission Decision 92/157/EEC as upheld on 28 May 1998.

Seasonal adjustment

Seasonal adjustment for each taxation class is conducted using a direct seasonal adjustment approach. However, the overall vehicle totals are estimated using the indirect approach, i.e. the ‘Total new vehicles’ is derived by adding all the seasonally adjusted new vehicles taxation classes. The main reason for adopting the indirect approach is to attribute the monthly and annual changes in vehicle licensing to each of its taxation classes. Seasonal adjustment models are developed for each series based on unadjusted data spanning from July 1996 to the current period. These models are reviewed on an annual basis; however seasonal factors are updated each month.

The adjustments are completed by applying the X-13-ARIMA model, developed by the U.S. Census Bureau to the unadjusted data.  This methodology estimates seasonal factors while also taking into consideration factors that impact on the quality of the seasonal adjustment such as:

• Calendar effects, e.g. the timing of Easter,

• Outliers, temporary changes and level shifts in the series. 

For additional information on the use of X-13-ARIMA see https://www.census.gov/srd/www/winx13/

Definitions

Private cars:  The term 'private cars' in this release, refers to privately licensed vehicles which include hire, fleet and certain commercial vehicles.

New and used vehicles:  The term 'new vehicles' refers to new vehicles which are licensed for use in a public place, in this country, for the first time. 'Used vehicles' refers to used vehicles which are licensed for use in a public place, in this country, for the first time. In the main used vehicles are imported.

Exempt:  The term 'exempt vehicles' in this release, refers to vehicles which are licensed for the first time but are exempt from liability to pay road tax.

Exempt vehicles can be divided into four main categories:

  • State-owned
  • Diplomatic
  • Fire services
  • Disabled Drivers

Electric hybrid:  means a vehicle that derives its motive power from a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine and is capable of being driven on electric propulsion alone for a material part of its normal driving cycle.

Plug-in electric hybrid:  means a vehicle that derives its motive power from a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, where the electric motor derives its power from a battery that may be charged from the internal combustion engine and an alternating current (AC) electric mains supply and is capable of being driven on electric propulsion alone for a material part of its normal driving cycle.

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