MADRID – The European figures for 2021 show that Spain is lagging behind in the field of electric cars. According to the data, the market share of fully electric vehicles in Spain last year was 2.76%. Plug-in hybrids are doing slightly better.
The figures were published this week by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). The president of Anfac (the Spanish Automobile Manufacturers Association), Wayne Griffiths, appointed in January, said it on the day he took office: ‘To produce electric vehicles in Spain, we will have to sell electric cars here’.
Number 13
Of the top 15 countries in Europe selling the most new cars, Spain ranks 13th, only ahead of Poland. There the share of electric cars in 2021 was 1.7%, and in the Czech Republic, the share was 1.31%. Portugal registered fewer sales of electric cars because its market is small compared to Spain’s. However, with an electric vehicle market share of 9%, it still comes out ahead of Spain.
Norway in the lead
The country by far leading the race to electrification is Norway, where more than 64% of the cars sold last year were pure electric. The Netherlands follows by a considerable distance, at number two, with a share of almost 20%. Although the car market in the Netherlands is smaller than in Spain, the Netherlands surpassed Spain in the total number of registered electric cars, with 64,149 units compared to 23,690 in Spain.
Just after the Netherlands, Sweden follows as number three, with a share of 19.1%.
Plug-in hybrids
In terms of plug-in hybrids, which are considered the first step towards the ‘pure electric’ car, Spain is also at the bottom of the list of the major European markets. However, Spain has improved its position by one place by overtaking Italy.
Last year, some 5% of vehicles registered in Spain were plug-in hybrids, compared to 4.8% in Italy, 2% in Poland, and 1.9% in the Czech Republic. Plug-in hybrids are doing particularly well in Northern Europe, with Sweden leading the way with a market share of around 25%, followed by Denmark with 21.8% and Norway with 21.6%.
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