Spain is accelerating its shift to more environmentally friendly modes of transport. In the first half of 2025, hybrid vehicles accounted for 31.7% of total production, surpassing diesel models for the first time. The share of diesel vehicles dropped to its lowest level in recent years.
Most of the hybrids produced are conventional hybrid cars that do not require charging from external sources, making up 26.6% of the total output. This data was provided by the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac).
This trend change is linked to stricter environmental regulations from the European Union, compelling car manufacturers to restructure their production lines. Production of petrol vehicles also fell by 34% compared to the first half of 2024, a drop attributed not to reduced demand but to the EU-wide restrictions.
Diesel vehicles are experiencing a particularly sharp decline. In 2019, nearly a million diesel cars were produced (998,660 units), whereas in 2024, output fell to 524,363. The share of diesel cars in total production decreased from 35% to 21.5% in the first half of 2025, giving way to hybrids.
The growing popularity of electric vehicles is also evident in the sales market. In July 2025, Catalonia led in electric vehicle registrations, accounting for 40% of all new registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Spain — 9,066 units, which is 2,551 more than in July of the previous year.
In 2023, the European Union approved a ban on the sale of new cars with CO2 emissions starting from 2035. Under the CAFE (Clean Air For Europe) policy, manufacturers are required to reach a 20-22% share of electric vehicles by 2025, but in 2024 this figure was only about 14%. Failure to meet these requirements could result in fines of up to 15 billion euros.
To support the industry, in March 2025 Spain introduced protective measures allowing automakers to avoid fines provided they offset excess emissions by 2027, if they are unable to reduce emissions by 15% compared to 2021.
The used car market is also reflecting these changes. In July 2025, used car sales rose by 5.8% year-on-year, reaching 225,380 units. Electrified vehicles in this segment still occupy a small share—about 2.7% of total sales.
The average price of used cars set a new record in July, rising by 8.7% year-on-year. Petrol models increased to 17,220 euros, diesel models to 14,095 euros, while electrified cars saw a price drop to 30,553 euros.
Despite the rapid growth of hybrid and electric vehicle production and sales, traditional engines continue to dominate the Spanish automotive market, especially in the used car segment.
