The government was forced to re-award its tender for the provision of new electric ministerial cars after the bid which had initially won the tender was disqualified on a technicality.

The tender, which foresaw the provision of 25 electric saloon cars for ministers to be driven around in, was awarded to a company by the name of Unicars, which had offered to provide 20 Volkswagen ID.7 cars in exchange for €1,222,439.

However, fellow bidder CTC Automotive appealed the decision, pointing out that on a purely technical basis, the Volkswagen ID.7, despite resembling a saloon car, is a hatchback.

As such, their appeal was upheld by the tender review authority, and given that no other bidding company met the tender’s specifications, CTC Automotive were awarded the contract.

They will now provide 25 Hyundai Ioniq 6 cars to the government in exchange for €1,224,159 – a full €1,720 more than Unicars’ bid, or €68.80 per car. Soon, therefore, ministers, deputy ministers, and other government officials will be travelling in the Hyundai Ioniq 6.

British television programme Top Gear described the Ioniq 6 as “different and distinctive”, and added that it is “a comfortable, effortlessly smooth and easy cruiser”.