Figures from New Automotive, an independent transport research organisation, show that EVs had their strongest start to any year on record in 2025.
Typically, January is a slow month for car sales, but the share of EVs sold by automakers was only just below the overarching target for 2025 under the zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
In the best-ever start to a year, 27,700 battery EVs—21.5% of the market—were registered in January 2025, despite some concern renewed hope for tax incentives later in the year could have deterred some buyers.
New Automotive CEO Ben Nelmes urged ministers to “keep up the pace”. He added: “Any sudden changes to the rules could put the brakes on all the progress the UK has made and undermine the billions of investment in charging points and battery factories which are set to create thousands of jobs here in the UK.”
Although the headline ZEV target for 2025 is a 28% market share for ZEVs, New Automotive points out that firms will earn “bucketloads” of credits from selling lower polluting petrol and diesel vehicles and hybrid cars, bringing down the actual needed market share of ZEVs to 23.1%. This is why last year’s target is accepted to have been met, despite real ZEV market share being below the headline 22% target.
Further demonstrating the feasibility of achieving mandated targets, New Automotive data showed that nine out of the top ten EV sellers in the UK are ‘legacy’ carmakers transitioning from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle production.
In January, BMW sold the most EVs of any carmaker, 2,622, making up 31.87% of its total sales so far in 2025.
Record EV sales in Ireland
January also saw a record number of EVs sold in Ireland, after a disappointing 2024. Last year, just 17,459 EVs were newly registered in the State – a 24% decrease compared to 2023.
Data from the Society for the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) showed a resurgence in battery EV uptake so far this year, with 4,925 EVs registered in January – the highest ever monthly figure recorded and a 20% increase in registrations compared to last January.
SIMI figures show that conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery EVs now account for 55% of all car sales in Ireland. This is compared to the same vehicle types taking 43.4% of new car sales in the UK.
Director general of SIMI, Brian Cooke, noted: “The underlying EV market continues to be dependent heavily on private sales which benefit from SEAI grant support, highlighting the importance of ongoing Government incentives to help stimulate the market.”
Briain Kelly of Energy Efficiency Ireland, a free service that advises Irish households on how renewable energy can reduce household costs with a focus on solar energy, home insulation and EV charging, expressed “cautious optimism” following the news.
“If sales continue on this trajectory, the record-breaking start to the year will be a record-breaking year overall for new registrations,” he said.
He added that 2024’s disappointing uptake could have been the result of a lack of infrastructure—there are around 2,500 public EV charging stations in Ireland, a low figure compared to other nations of a similar size. For example, Norway, which is on track for 100% EV market share, boasted more than 27,500 public EV chargepoints as of Q2 2024.