The urgent need that exists to take care of the planet and the new rules that are going to come into force soon in relation to polluting emissions make it necessary to build an infrastructure capable of solving problems, satisfying the interests and demands of the parties involved, in this case the users, the different companies affected and the political leaders.
The automotive industry is, therefore, highly affected and involved in this context of sustainability, which has triggered the appearance of so many electric, hybrid and hydrogen cars. However, electricity is being the most requested energy in recent times, so it is worth wondering how many electric vehicle charging points there are in Spain and where.
Electric drivers take note: how many charging points are there and where
After having put everything in context through the introduction, it is time to shell out the most important information about the electric vehicle charging points that are distributed throughout the Spanish geography. In this way, those of you who have one will not have to wait to get home and use the socket that comes standard to refill the battery. Here we go.
1. There are many, but not enough
If we look at the total number of charging points for electric vehicles in Spain, the truth is that it can be seen that important work has already been done, but that it may be insufficient. According to estimates by the employers’ association of automobile manufacturers, the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac), Throughout the Spanish territory there are some 13,411 public access points.
According to the same institution, most of them are concentrated in Catalonia, which accounts for 26.46 percent of the total thanks to its 3,549 authorized places. They are followed, although somewhat far away, by the Valencian Community with 12.39 percent of the total and 1,661 authorized places and the Community of Madrid, which constitutes 11.94 percent thanks to its 1,601. However, the Government of Spain set itself objectives that, for now, seem far from being fulfilled.
In 2023 they wanted the network to be much more nourished than it is at present, so that it stands at 100,000 charging points.
The demands of Anfac and the Federation of Automotive Dealer Associations (Faconauto) were not so ambitious, since they asked the Spanish leaders to reach 70,000, but it seems extremely difficult to achieve either of these two goals.
In the first place, to reach what is stipulated by the Government, the total amount would have to be multiplied by 7.4 between 2022 and the next. Secondly, to correspond to what the employers demand, the same would have to be done but for 5.2.
In other words, for the forecasts to be a reality, the rate of construction of these areas would have to accelerate significantly in the near future, and this does not seem to be viable. As if that wasn’t enough, from Europe they also urge Spain to emphasize electric vehicle charging points. The European organization ACEA (Association of European Automobile Manufacturers) ensures that the implementation of these places does not enjoy a balance with its territorial extension, so that it occupies 12 percent of the territory and only three percent of all those that there is in the Old Continent.
In the amount per million inhabitants, things are no better, and it is that Spain is the second European country in number of public charging points with 245, it is only above Greece, which has 29.
The community average of 573 seems far from being reached in the short term. Therefore, and according to said ACEA, Spain would have to take the example of other neighboring countries such as Germany, France and Italy, where the presence of charging points is compensated with the size of its territory. In the neighboring country, not to go too far, the installation of these points represents 14 percent of its surface and 21 percent in the entire EU.
2. Various public and private initiatives have been launched
Large energy companies such as Repsol and Iberdrola, as well as government institutions, have carried out initiatives that should contribute to making the presence of charging points for electric vehicles more tangible. Let’s see by parts what facilities are given for it.
2.1. Iberdrola’s Smart Mobility Plan
Iberdrola devised the so-called Smart Mobility Plan, which includes in its roadmap the implementation of at least one fast charging station every 50 kilometers. In this way, the company ensures that it will be possible to travel throughout Spain with complete autonomy.
To be more exact, its network will extend along the six radial highways (A1 Autovía del Norte, A2 del Nordeste, A3 del Este, A4 del Sur, A5 del Sureste and A6 del Noroeste) and the three main transversal corridors: Mediterranean, Cantabrian and Route of the Silver. In addition, it will reach all the provincial capitals and, of course, the main cities of the country.
The stations that will be present in your area will be fast charging (50 kW), super fast (150 kW) and ultra fast (350 kW). In this way, it will be possible to recharge most of the battery’s energy in a matter of between 20 and 30 minutes and, if we focus on ultra-fast ones, in an interval of only between five and ten (provided that the vehicle does so). allow). At each point, between two and seven cars can be at the same time, which suggests that there will be more than 400 fast charging points throughout its network..
Likewise, the plan plans to install ultra-fast stations every 200 kilometers, super-fast every 100 and fast, as we said at the beginning of the section, 50. In 2020, more than 5,500 points have already been installed throughout the country, so that 600 are fast charging on public roads, while more than 1,800 are divided between fast, super-fast and ultra-fast will be installed in the same location in different stages of development. Iberdrola’s objective is to put some 150,000 electric vehicle charging points into operation in four years.
As can be deduced from what has been described, you do not need to be an Iberdrola customer to recharge your car at any of its stations, it is enough to have the Iberdrola Public Recharge application installed on your phone, where you can geolocate, reserve and pay your recharges through your smartphone.
To do this, it completed the first mapping that verifies the presence and operation of the chargers, as well as their technical characteristics, a map that includes more than 3,600 chargers on public roads for electricians in 1,200 locations in the country. Users can report new charging points that, after undergoing verification by Iberdrola, will be added to the application.
2.2. Moves III Plan launched by the Government
The Moves III Plan, as its name indicates in part, is the third edition of the aid program launched by the Government of Spain in order to encourage and promote the purchase of electric cars and the installation of their charging points, which It will continue to be done until the end of the year 2023.
For it, Its budget is around 400 million euros, which can be expanded up to double depending on the demand there is., for direct aid to electric mobility and for charging infrastructure. The initiative includes subsidies to purchase any type of electric vehicle (cars, motorcycles, vans) as well as four-wheel plug-in hybrid cars.
In this way, up to 7,000 euros can be discounted on the purchase of an electric vehicle that does not exceed 45,000 euros in price. If we pay attention to the installation of charging points, the self-employed, individuals, communities of owners, public administrations and companies can take advantage of it.
Compared to its predecessor, the Moves III Plan increases the budget for aid to install charging points, so that it covers up to 80 percent of the amount, double (40) than the previous one.
Of course, it is necessary to know that the exact percentage of the aid is subject to the type of beneficiary and the number of inhabitants of the town or city in which the wallbox is installed. In the installation of recharging points, a percentage of the total investment that this process has entailed is covered:
- In municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants: subsidy of 70 percent of the total for the self-employed, individuals, communities of owners and public administrations.
- In municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants: subsidy of 80 percent of the total for the self-employed, individuals, communities of owners and public administrations.
If we stop at fast charging stations (50 kW) and what affects companies and public access points, things look like this:
- In municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants: 35 percent for large companies, 45 percent for medium-sized companies, and 55 percent for small companies.
- In municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants: 40 percent large companies, 50 percent medium-sized companies, and 60 percent small companies.
Finally, with regard to companies and public access points in stations below 50 kW, it is regulated as follows:
- In municipalities with more than 5,000 inhabitants: 30 percent of the total is subsidized.
- In municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants: 40 percent of the total is paid.