Two fifths (40%) of Irish car buyers intend to purchase an electric vehicle in the next two years, research from EY‘s Mobility Consumer Index (MCI) has found.
Of these, 15% intend to buy a battery-electric vehicle (BEV), 15% are considering a full hybrid, and 10% are considering a plug-in hybrid (15%), the data showed.
More than half (51%) of respondents said that they still plan to purchase a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, with the remainder undecided, indicating that the transition to electric vehicles still has some way to go.
‘Sustained and growing demand’
“What we’re seeing in the Irish market is sustained and growing demand for electrified vehicles,” commented Julia Ann Corkery, EY Ireland transport leader. “Building on last year’s rebound in EV sales, the findings highlight strong consumer motivations around sustainability, lower running costs and improved vehicle performance, which continue to underpin Ireland’s transition to cleaner mobility.
“Alongside these factors, broader market trends are also contributing to interest in EVs, including the increasing availability of more competitively priced EV models. We have seen clear movement across Europe toward lower‑cost options entering the market, which is helping to make electrified vehicles more accessible.”
Purchase drivers
Among the core reasons cited by Irish consumers for opting for an electric vehicle were environmental concerns (37%), lower running costs (31%), increased EV range (30%) and high fuel prices (27%), the data showed.
However, barriers still persist, with more than a third (36%) of respondents citing uncertainty around charging and running costs, and around three in ten (31%) pointing to a lack of charging infrastructure in their area.
Elsewhere, 30% are concerned about upfront purchase costs, while a similar percentage (30%) cited confusion over battery replacement expenses.
“While consumers still have practical questions around charging and overall running costs, a lot of which relates to their specific housing circumstances and associated off-street parking, or not, these are typical considerations in any maturing market,” Corkery added. “Ongoing investment across the public, private and local‑authority landscape in Ireland is helping to build confidence, and as infrastructure and technology continue to progress, the fundamentals for EV adoption in Ireland remain very solid.”
Electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for 57% of new car registrations in Ireland in 2025, according to the country’s Central Statistics Office an increase of 11 percentage points compared with 2024.
EY’s survey of 500 participants formed part of a larger global study across 32 countries. Read more here.
