Sales of electric vehicles are surging across Spain and have almost doubled in the first fourth months of this year compared to the same period in 2022. 

Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles – including cars, quadricycles, commercial and industrial vehicles and buses – totalled 37,347 between January and April of this year in Spain. 

That figure was 45.3% more than the same period last year, with an improvement of 28.8% in April alone, recording 8,511 sales last month. 

Despite the improvement, electric vehicles still stood at just 10% of the market share, the same as a year ago. 

At the current rate, the target of 190,000 sales by 2023 set in Spain’s 2021-2030 national energy and climate plan to meet emission reduction requirements would not be reached. 

Association of Spanish automobile manufacturers (Anfac) director José López-Tafall said sales were increasing “month after month” but still remained low. 

“A decisive move towards electrified vehicles is a reality in other European countries, which are accumulating monthly sales of over 20% of the total market,” López-Tafall said. 

“Spain has a wide range of electric models, but this slow progress in our country is clear evidence of the need to take effective and rapid measures.” 

López-Tafall said Spain needed to act immediately, encouraging people to purchase electric vehicles and boosting the network of public access charging points. 

“There is no plan B, only to accelerate and not be left behind, but industry alone cannot change the whole of society. We must act now, because we are already too far behind in Europe and we simply cannot afford it,” he added.