Ideauto counts 3,600 battery-powered vehicles among Spain’s 61,000 taxis, leaving electric models a small share of the fleet. Despite clear cost advantages and lower emissions, the move away from combustion engines remains slow in most cities. The national average is 5.9%, though Bilbao stands out: nearly a quarter of its taxis now run on electricity.
Electric taxi sales nearly doubled in 2025 from the previous year, reaching 1,078 of 7,769 total taxi sales. That lifted electric models to 13.8% of new taxi sales. The wider passenger-car market also grew: battery-electric car registrations reached 101,600 in 2025, up 77.1% year on year and equal to 8.8% of total registrations, information from figures Agencia EFE reported from industry associations ANFAC, Faconauto and Ganvam. Taxi fleets follow a different adoption pattern, shaped by high mileage and the demands of charging, financing and vehicle replacement. The contrast is sharper still in the VTC sector, where electric models account for 60% of new vehicles, pointing to a faster shift among ride-hailing services.
Local incentives have helped some cities lead the transition. Bilbao’s rapid uptake followed a municipal grant of €10,000 per vehicle. The programme has ended, but its impact remains. Madrid has 1,384 electric taxis, or 8.6% of its fleet, and also benefits from national subsidies such as the Auto+ programme, which offers up to €7,000 per vehicle, as well as VAT refunds. Vitoria and Zaragoza have introduced similar grants, though payment delays have frustrated some drivers. In Zaragoza, demand for the €10,000 subsidy regularly exceeds the annual quota of 20 vehicles.
Adoption is higher in some regions. Battery-powered taxis make up 15% of Pamplona’s fleet and 12% of San Sebastián’s. Yet they remain uncommon in tourist areas where daily routes tend to be longer, including Mallorca, the Canary Islands and Málaga. In Málaga, just 49 of 1,446 taxis are electric. Drivers there often cover up to 800 kilometres a day, while the practical range cited for many electric models is 400-500 kilometres. That gap makes charging time and access to fast chargers basic operational concerns.
Cost remains decisive for many drivers. Those who have switched to electric vehicles point to lower fuel and maintenance bills, with electricity costing significantly less than diesel. But concerns remain about long-term battery life and the higher purchase price, which can be around 30% more than for comparable diesel vehicles. Insurance has also become more expensive: premiums for electric taxis have risen by 30% in recent years and can reach €3,000 a year for comprehensive coverage.
Spain now has 55,000 public charging points, and the network continues to expand. Even so, home charging can cost as little as one-fifth the price of a public ultra-fast charger per kilowatt-hour. AEDIVE’s electric-mobility yearbook counted 854,660 electrified vehicles in Spain at the end of 2025, 51% more than a year earlier, and stressed the need to match charging infrastructure to users’ needs. For taxi operators, charger numbers matter alongside practical access: location, charging speed, availability at taxi ranks and the working time lost while vehicles charge. Bilbao is investing in new charging stations and requiring 10% of parking spaces to have electric-vehicle charging, aiming to support the transition.
Hybrid taxis remain a popular alternative, with lower fuel consumption and a record of durability; some models reportedly reach 700,000 kilometres. For many drivers, uncertainty over the long-term reliability of electric taxis remains a barrier. The shift is expected to speed up as drivers gain confidence from colleagues’ experience and energy prices and insurance costs stabilise.
Spain’s lead for cleaner urban transport aligns with broader European goals to cut emissions and improve air quality. Government support for electric mobility and local initiatives are gradually reshaping the taxi sector, though progress varies widely between regions and cities. The next few years will determine whether electric taxis move beyond minority status in Spain’s urban fleets.
