ECODES, Alinnea, and T&E brought together leading figures from the sustainable mobility sector to examine the challenges and opportunities of electric mobility at an event held at IE University’s campus in Madrid. Electrification and a clean, accessible, and fair mobility model emerged as the principal challenges for the automotive sector, a view shared by public authorities, private companies, and academia represented at the forum. Specialists participating in “The State of Electric Mobility in Spain” analyzed the sector’s hurdles and opportunities and the search for sustainable solutions, highlighting “the major strategic opportunity it represents for Spain.”
The event opened with remarks from the three organizing entities, who emphasized the importance of amplifying as many voices as possible from the electric-mobility ecosystem, showcasing the current level of market penetration, and sharing the industrial and competitiveness opportunities it offers Spain. The goal was to examine the challenges to improving social acceptability in a context of misinformation and to spotlight progress made in other European countries that could be replicated.
Speaking for Alinnea—a climate-change think tank supported by the European Climate Foundation and hosted at IE University—Ana Belén Sánchez, Alinnea’s Director, stated: “Innovation is key to transforming electric mobility and addressing the sector’s social, regulatory, technological, and environmental challenges. That is why we promote spaces for dialogue where diverse stakeholders can share ideas and build solutions that make the system more competitive and sustainable.”
For her part, Isabell Büschel, Director of T&E in Spain, stressed: “Electric mobility is not only a solution to reduce air pollution and mitigate climate change—it is an industrial opportunity. Successful public policies in several European countries show that, if we act decisively, we can decarbonize road transport, create quality local jobs, and turn Spain into a European hub for electromobility. To achieve this, we need a national strategy, institutional coordination, and bold political action that puts people, social justice, innovation, and strategic autonomy at the heart of the transformation.”
The opening concluded with a contribution from Cristian Quílez, Head of Transport and Mobility at ECODES, who affirmed: “We work to promote and contribute to the decarbonization of transport and the transformation of mobility without leaving anyone behind. Electric mobility is the solution to reduce emissions from road transport. Spain must strive for industrial competitiveness without losing sight of health and the environment. We can face the challenges and seize the opportunities, but we must move beyond politicization and provide certainty to society. Change only becomes real when the four major drivers of social change (public authorities, business, NGOs, and the media) push in the same direction. That is why we move forward with allies and in partnership.”
The program featured three panels, underscoring the need to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles to meet Europe’s decarbonization targets. Decarbonization is no longer a choice for countries. EU member states—and Spain in particular—are committed to tackling a series of challenges to meet the European Green Deal and enable the transition to zero-emission mobility. In 2023, 61.5% of Spain’s CO₂ emissions came from road transport, making transport the country’s leading source of greenhouse gases.
The first panel—“Innovation and Competitiveness for Electric Mobility: Advancing Today’s and Tomorrow’s Technology”—featured José Moisés Martín Carretero (Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation, CDTI), Emilio Prous (Madrid Green Urban Mobility Lab), and Konstantina Valogianni (IE University). The discussion focused on the pivotal role of technological innovation in boosting Spain’s competitiveness in electric mobility.
Another debate addressed the social dimension of the shift to electrification. Under the title “Social Acceptability of Electric Mobility: Context and Progress to Leave No One Behind,” speakers stressed the need for policies that enable all segments of society to access the transition so that it is not only green but also just. Participants included representatives from civil society as well as the automotive sector: Xaquín García-Muros (Basque Centre for Climate Change—BC3), Jordi Carmona (UGT FICA), Juan José Martínez (Hyundai Spain), and Fernando Pina (Electric Vehicle Users Association—AUVE).
The third panel focused on “Examples of Public Policies to Incentivize Electric Mobility in Europe.” Luís Barroso (Mobi.e, the Managing Entity of Portugal’s Electric Mobility Network) discussed measures implemented in Portugal, where the electric-vehicle registration rate is three times Spain’s. According to Barroso, “The success of the energy transition in mobility depends on multiple factors: interoperable solutions that build user and business confidence, and state support through easily accessible subsidies and tax breaks to accelerate the process. Portugal is a good example of both.” Rosalind Marshall (UK Department for Transport) also presented the United Kingdom’s progress on electromobility. Jörg Mühlenhoff (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union) argued that “EU member state governments and institutions should not lower the ambition of CO₂ standards for cars, as this would neither provide legal certainty for manufacturers’ investments nor help them regain competitiveness.” Mercè Amich Vidal (BC3) highlighted that “Social leasing can be an effective tool to mitigate the high dependence on private vehicles in rural households—where this dependence places a significant financial burden on the most vulnerable. We must facilitate access to electric-mobility technologies as part of a package that includes strengthening public transport, improving infrastructure, and sustainable land-use planning to move toward a mobility model compatible with climate challenges and the principles of a just transition.” Lastly, Ignacio Rodríguez-Solano (Renault Group) underlined the importance of making mobility universal while reducing the price of electric vehicles.
The event also included a dialogue on the role of institutions in Spain’s electric mobility, with contributions from Jordi Llinares (Ministry of Industry and Tourism), María Romera (AEDIVE), Isabel del Olmo (Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy—IDAE), Inma Cima (AORU), and Rodrigo Moltó Martín (Directorate-General for Roads, Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility). Key takeaways pointed to the need to improve competitiveness and position Spain’s automotive sector at the forefront through modernization and a focus on the entire electromobility value chain, including batteries. Rodrigo Moltó Martín reaffirmed that “The Ministry of Transport is strengthening its commitment to sustainable mobility and taking a proactive role in decarbonizing road transport.”
Isabel del Olmo (IDAE) highlighted the leap forward achieved with the launch of the REVE charging-point map, which provides dynamic, real-time information on existing charging points, their status, and location. She also explained that IDAE participates in several interministerial committees, notably the EV Charging Infrastructure Working Group (GTIRVE) led by the Secretary of State for Energy. María Romera (AEDIVE) stressed the role of regulation in driving electric mobility: “There are more than 46,000 operational charging points across Spain,” she noted, adding that better signage is needed—not only for EV users but for the wider public—to dispel uncertainties around EVs.
In Spain, only 8.4% of charging points are ultra-fast. For this reason, Inma Cima (AORU) called for a broader rollout of ultra-fast charging infrastructure, while emphasizing the need above all to accelerate permitting procedures. The event closed with remarks from Víctor Ausín, Director-General for Economic Policy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, who underscored the enormous opportunity electromobility represents for boosting profitability and productivity—and, in turn, raising investment levels in Spain.