Fifty-two new charging stations now stand in María Pita square, but the real challenge in A Coruña goes beyond hardware. The 10th Repsol EcoRallye A Coruña, part of the FIA EcoRally Cup, attracted 57 teams and industry attention, putting Spain’s electric car ambitions to the test. The new chargers highlight a wider problem: infrastructure and public trust still lag. City officials say this is the third consecutive year the rally has featured on the FIA Eco Rally Cup calendar, marking a decade of growth and greater importance for the region.
Oliver Fernández, Repsol’s director of Electric Mobility for Spain and Portugal, doesn’t sugarcoat the problems. Spain claims about 53,000 public charging points, but many sit unused, held up by paperwork or awaiting grid connections. “We can install a charger in 15 days, but it can take up to two years to actually switch it on,” Fernández told Quincemil. The delays go beyond paperwork: ultra-fast chargers face even greater grid bottlenecks, slowing progress where it is needed most. AEDIVE, Spain’s national electric mobility association, now counts only active charging points in its statistics to show the real picture.
The official National Action Plan, published on September 14, 2026, lists 42,318 public charging points in Spain, with a total installed capacity of 2,269,170 kW, significantly lower than industry estimates.
Galicia used to lag behind, but it is catching up fast. Repsol alone runs about 500 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers in the region, responding to a jump in electric and plug-in hybrid registrations. Fernández warns that infrastructure must keep pace with demand. Repsol’s multi-energy strategy means not every solution will be electric. “Not everything will be electric vehicles,” he says. Renewable fuels will still be needed in sectors where batteries don’t make sense. The rally’s 586 km route, noted in independent coverage, illustrates how range and charging access matter for real-world EV use.
For drivers, price remains a sticking point. Fernández won’t predict when electric cars will match combustion models without subsidies. Reaching that point will require huge investment from the industry. “The public wants to move at a competitive price and without restrictions,” he says. The best solution depends on each customer’s needs and whether the technology can pay for itself.
Range anxiety and charging times still put off many would-be EV owners. Fernández questions the obsession with ultra-fast charging. Most cars spend hours parked at home or work, where slow, cheap charging is often enough. For long trips, such as Madrid to Galicia, ultra-rapid chargers are impressive. Repsol’s network aims to cover both needs, but the company says there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
AEDIVE reported that, as of September 1, 2026, Spain had 52,746 operational public charging points, a 5.49% increase over the previous year. Independent reviews have found that a impressive share may be unavailable because of connection or operational issues, highlighting the gap between installed and truly active infrastructure.
In the future, Fernández won’t predict when electric cars will take over new-car sales. He points to aviation, where sustainable fuels, rather than batteries, can cut emissions. The shift will be uneven, he says, and patience is needed as technology and infrastructure change in unpredictable ways.
For Repsol, public charging is a long-term bet. “This is not a 100-meter sprint,” Fernández says. The company is focused on national coverage and making charging easy. Now, 95% of its network, almost all rapid and ultra-rapid points, supports Autocharge. Drivers just plug in and go after a one-time pairing with Waylet. No cards or apps are needed. The goal is to make charging simple and accessible, even as the industry’s future remains uncertain.
Spain’s charging network is growing, but red tape and grid limits continue to slow progress. The country has seen its first-ever drop in petrol stations, as reported earlier, showing a market in transition. But the shift to electric vehicles is far from automatic. The EcoRallye in A Coruña is a stress test for the whole system.
This year’s rally reflects progress alongside persistent friction in Spain’s push for electric mobility.
