Volkswagen is officially Ireland’s most popular EV maker of all-time after breaking the existing sales record for electric vehicles. Volkswagen Ireland has sold a total of 7,130 electric vehicles to date, claiming the coveted title as Ireland’s all-time BEV leader. The outstanding success of the brand’s ID. Family, first introduced here in 2020, has accelerated it to the number one BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) brand in record time.
Volkswagen began selling electric vehicles here in 2014 with the introduction of the E-Golf. However, the arrival of the ID.3 in 2020 heralded a new dawn for brand in Ireland and it has been smashing sales records ever since. While the ID.3 was a popular choice among early adopters, the addition of the ID.4 SUV a year later accelerated the brand’s electrification drive as it quickly became the fastest-selling EV in Irish history.
Having dominated the sales charts for the past two years, in June this year, Volkswagen outstripped Nissan’s record for all-time EV sales – despite the popular Nissan Leaf being on sale here since 2010.
Latest figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), show that Ireland continues to lead the way in electric vehicle adoption. Sales of new EVs are up 85% on the same period last year as rising petrol and diesel costs, the continuation of Government EV subsidies and a desire to move towards more sustainable forms of transport, fuels growth.
Electric vehicles now account for nearly 15% of the new car market, compared with 8% in 2021. A total of 2,772 ID.4s were registered between January and September, up 108% on the same time last year. Meanwhile, the introduction of the sleek ID.5 SUV Coupe in June further boosted Volkswagen’s EV sales tally.
Despite this success, no one is resting on their laurels. The brand new ID. Buzz is set to become the latest addition to the burgeoning ID. range. Having won plaudits from the motoring press, ID. Buzz is the next key step in Volkswagen’s ambitious plan to sell one million electric cars a year and become the world leader in e-mobility by 2025.
Rodolfo Calixto, Volkswagen Brand Director for Ireland said: “Becoming Ireland’s leading EV brand is an important milestone for Volkswagen. But, to have broken the record in such a short space of time is something we are particularly proud of. Volkswagen implemented its electric vehicle strategy at a time when other manufacturers were reluctant to make the switch. The record sales success of the ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5 is recognition that our New Auto strategy is paying off and that Irish motorists are keen to switch to more sustainable forms of transport.”
Volkswagen Ireland’s range of all-electric ID. Cars is available to test drive today at your local Volkswagen retailer. For more information on the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID. Buzz, log-on to www.volkswagen.ie. Remote finance approval within 24 hours is available from the comfort of your own home with our new online approval form. Check online or please contact your local retailer for more details.
