Heterogeneity of the impact of the Spanish programme of incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles

Abstract

Promoting e-mobility in the transport sector is essential for the transition to a low-emission economy. One of the goals of the Spanish programmes of incentives for efficient and sustainable mobility (MOVES) is to encourage the general public and firms to purchase electric vehicles. This article analyses the impact of the MOVES II programme, launched in June 2020, on electric vehicle registrations, based on the microdata provided by the Directorate General for Traffic. The results suggest that the impact has been very uneven across Spain’s regions. Specifically, from its launch up to December 2020, the programme appears to have increased the percentage of new electric vehicle registrations in Asturias, Madrid, Navarre and the Balearic Islands, and on average in the provinces of Catalonia, by an average of at least 1 percentage point. By contrast, the average impact on electric vehicle registrations by province in each of the other regions may be statistically zero.