EVs grab bigger market share

The new-vehicle market is now almost evenly split between electric vehicles (EVs), petrol models and diesel-powered units, according to the latest industry figures.

EVs accounted for 32.5 per cent of the market over the first five months of 2023, with petrol and diesel vehicles snaring 33.7 per cent and 33.7 per cent respectively.

This marks a shift from the numbers for the whole of 2022 when EVs took out 25 per cent of new-vehicle sales, petrol units 40.5 per cent and diesel 34.5 per cent.

A closer look at the year-to-date figures from the Motor Industry Association (MIA) reveals hybrids are leading the way among the EV options in 2023, bagging 16.5 per cent of all trade to the end of May.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) snared 11.3 per cent and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) 4.3 per cent.