Sales of electric cars in NI surge by 40% in one year
ELECTRIC car sales here have powered ahead of market trends with growth of nearly 40% during 2020, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 4,464 vehicles in the electric hybrid, fuel cell, plug-in hybrid and pure electric categories have been sold so far this year, compared to 3,211 in 2019.
In contrast, sales of all new cars have fallen by 30% to 34,475.
Factors like increased choice and improved mileage capacity have led to the growth of the category.
Mot o r way. c o . u k recently ranked the best electric cars on the market, including the Nissan Leaf, the first example of a mass-market model. It will set you back between £27,995 and £35,895.
A Tesla Model 3 from the dominant company in the sector led by entrepreneur Elon Musk costs from £39,000 to £52,000.
Tesla opened its first base here in August after acquiring a site on Belfast’s Boucher Road from Trust Ford.
Yuile Magee, managing director at Agnew Group, said it is selling electric and hybrid vehicles in growing numbers.
“Electric cars have been a long time in rising to prominence, but they have now well and truly arrived. We are seeing a surge in customer enquiries,” he said.
“Northern Ireland and UK markets are displaying similar trends with a reduction in sales of diesel and petrol vehicles and an increase in sales of alternative fuel and electric models across both individual customers and business customers.”
He said the alternative fuel sector was accounting for a growing slice of the market “due to a range of factors, including increased choice across a range of manufacturers and enhanced mileage ranges”.
“Across the 10 manufacturer brands that we represent within the Agnew Group, there are currently 50 different alternative fuel variants available and a significant number of new releases scheduled for 2021,” he added.
“That number is set to grow considerably in the coming years.”
Agnew Group sells electric and hybrid cars in makes like Mini, Porsche, Seat, MercedesBenz, BMW and Audi.
Earlier this year Tesla opened a pop-up shop for handovers and announced an approved bodyshop partner at Porters in Portadown.
Speaking at the launch of the partnership in July, Porters’ managing director Colin Porter said the Tesla marque now had “more brand cachet than a Ferrari”.
And representative group the Northern Ireland Electric Vehicle Owners said there were 1,052 plug-in vehicles registered in the first nine months of 2020, which was up 82% on the whole of last year.
The group said it had obtained the regional figures from the UK Department for Transport.
And it called on the Stormont Executive to improve the public charging network to cope with the sales boom and anticipated growing demand for infrastructure.
Co-founder Mark Mccall said: “Our members are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress around our public charging network.
“As we head for a 100% increase in sales this year compared to last, the steep decline of the service must be arrested and our Assembly needs to step in to ensure that a network that’s fit for purpose is provided for electric vehicle drivers in Northern Ireland.”
‘NI and UK markets are showing similar trends’