New electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars accounted for 21% of all new cars licensed in January 2022, new CSO figures show.

However, the number of new cars licensed in January 2022 fell by 1,134 (-7%) vehicles compared with January 2021.

In January 2022, a total of 20% of new private cars licensed were diesel, compared with 34% in the same month in 2021.

There was a fall of 4,440 (-55%) used private cars licensed in January 2022 compared with January 2021, according to Department of Transport statistics.

The number of new cars licensed for the first time in January 2022 was 15,814 compared with 16,948 in January 2021 – a fall of 7% or 1,134 fewer cars.

Statistician Nele van der Wielen, said: “The number of new electric cars licensed more than doubled from 739 in January 2021 to 1,813 in January 2022.

Hybrid

“New plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) cars licensed grew by 82% in January 2022 compared with January 2021 (1,507 compared with 827) 

“At the same time, the number of new diesel cars is decreasing. At the beginning of this year 3,116 new cars licensed were diesel cars, compared with 5,801 in January 2021.”