Spanish Car Buyers Prefer Hybrids to EVs

MADRID – Spain’s car buyers are rejecting replacement of their conventional internal-combustion-powered vehicles with electric vehicles, despite financial subsidies offered by the government, although they are showing some interest in hybrids.

Some 9,174 hybrid vehicles, or 40% more than year-ago, were registered over the past 11 months, compared with 424 EVs.

The Spanish government had hoped to have 2,000 electric cars on the road by the end of 2010 and as many as 20,000 EVs and hybrids in use by 2011. However, overall industry sales have been down for the year, despite a stronger showing in November compared with year-ago’s 18.8% decline.

The disproportionate price of EVs is one barrier to retail sales, but consumers are put off for other reasons.

Price and the absence of a recharging infrastructure are the main disadvantages of the EV,” says German Lopez, president of ANIACAM, the Spanish association of motor vehicle brands without an industrial presence in Spain. “We forecast that EV will only reach a significant part of our fleet after 2020.”

Meanwhile, hybrids are gaining share in the Spanish market. “It is possible for hybrids to reach 10% of the yearly sales in the next several years, as they offer a more normal price and reduced emissions without the limited-autonomy problems,” he says.

Car buyers in Madrid, a self-governing community, appear to be the most receptive of the new powertrain technologies. Through November, 180 EVs and 3,022 hybrid units were registered, accounting for one-third of Spain’s hybrid sales.

The city of Catalonia followed, with 90 EVs and 2,107 hybrids registered in the period.