New car registrations in Waterford have increased so far this year, with electric vehicle sales showing particularly strong growth.

Figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry show 2,789 new cars were registered in Waterford between January and October 2026.

That is up 4.46% from 2,670 registrations during the same period last year.

The increase is even stronger for battery electric vehicles.

A total of 773 new electric cars were registered in Waterford during the first ten months of this year, compared with 476 during the same period in 2025.

That represents an increase of 62.39%.

Waterford accounted for 2.13% of all new car registrations nationally during the period, while the county also represented 2.13% of new electric car registrations.

Nationally, new car registrations are up 6% year-to-date, with 130,754 cars registered compared with 123,855 during the same period last year.

Electric vehicle registrations have risen by 57% nationally, with 36,270 new battery electric cars registered so far this year.

Battery electric cars are now the most popular powertrain in the Irish new car market, accounting for 27.74% of registrations.

SIMI Operations Director Emma Mitchell said demand for electric vehicles remained strong, with growth being recorded in both urban and rural areas.

She said 61% of new electric cars registered nationally this year were outside Dublin.