MADRID – Spaniards are starting to become more eco-friendly in their car selection. In October, dealers sold four fully electric vehicles for every ten diesels.
Registrations of fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars increased by 53.3% in October in Spain. They reached 10,320 units, accounting for 13.2% of total car sales. Over the year, registrations of electrified cars increased by 47.1%. Sales of fully electric cars even increased by 92.9% in October, and by 72.9% over the year.
Spain lags behind
According to PwC’s eReadiness 2023 report, Spain is lagging behind. With a score of 2.2 on a scale of 5, the electric mobility market is less developed. This is despite the fact that the country provides relatively large subsidies for the purchase of more sustainable vehicles. Spain is therefore relatively in line with Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Poland and Australia. This is in contrast to Hong Kong, Norway and China.
Despite many subsidies and incentives, the system is inefficient. Due to the bureaucracy, support often only comes long after purchase and is usually linked to tax relief. Another consideration is the number of available charging stations. In some areas these are virtually absent. Consequently, it is not worthwhile to drive a 100% electric car there. If you want to know where there are charging stations in your area, this is a useful website, divided by province.
Eco buyer profile
High income and public design are key factors for the slow development of the electric car market in Spain. Owners of electric cars are often city dwellers, 43 years old with private parking and an annual gross income of €91,000.
Use and subsidies
86% of electric car owners use their car for commuting an average of 4.4 days a week. Furthermore, 62% used government support when purchasing.
Future buyers
Future buyers are interested, but current owners experience problems such as long charging times, lack of public charging points and limited range. Consequently, 32% remain skeptical about electric vehicles.
Also read: Spain is far behind by electric cars by 2022
