MADRID – Spain must double the number of charging points for electric vehicles by 2023 to meet the targets set by the European Union (EU).
This is the conclusion of a study by the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac). At the end of March, there were 20,243 charging points in Spain. In the past two years, 8,726 new charging points have been added. However, in order to meet EU requirements under the “Fit for 55” plan, this number should rise to 45,063 by the end of 2023.
Spain is lagging behind
Spain lags behind in terms of charging infrastructure compared to other countries. Countries such as France and Germany have more than a thousand charging points per million inhabitants, with 1,229 and 1,053 points respectively.
Bureaucratic hurdles
One of the obstacles to expanding the charging infrastructure in Spain is the extensive bureaucracy and the need to obtain various administrative permits. According to the report, nearly 6,500 installed charging points are currently not operational due to these bureaucratic hurdles.
Too low power
In addition, 80% of the charging infrastructure has a capacity of no more than 22 kilowatts (kW), which is insufficient to charge heavier vehicles or vehicles that require more power.
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Alternatively, Anfac proposes to have fewer charging points than the 322,000 required by the EU for 2030 to ensure that these points are of higher power.
5 million electric vehicles in 2030
Spain’s goal, as set out in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), is to have a fleet of 5 million electric vehicles by 2030. Anfac, on the other hand, expects 4.3 million electrified passenger cars and vans by 2030 and 9.8 million by 2035.
A more efficient administrative structure needed
As for the subsidies for installing charging points, Anfac proposes that these be paid immediately upon installation instead of afterwards. Therefore, the association advocates a more efficient administrative structure.
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