Private buyers now lead Spain’s electric car boom: three out of four new plug-in and electric vehicles on Spanish roads belong to individuals, not companies. In September 2026, around 75 to 77% of new plug-in and electric vehicle registrations went to private buyers. Corporate buyers still dominated overall car registrations, accounting for 53.1% last year, but were slow to go electric: 10.7% of company car purchases in September were zero emissions, compared with 24.9% among private buyers. DGT data reviewed by Luis Valdés put the combined average for both groups at 18%, well below the European average.
The gap is growing. Private buyers are plugging in at record rates; companies are not. Rafael Salas, professor of Economic Analysis at Complutense, says corporate hesitation is holding back Spain’s shift to cleaner cars. Market reviews show private electric vehicle registrations in Spain jumped by about 91 to 92% year on year in September 2026. Registrations by legal entities grew just 29% over the same period.
Why companies resist
The numbers add up for individuals. The Plan Auto+ offers up to 4,500 euros in direct aid. A 15% IRPF deduction can mean another 3,000 euros off, putting electric cars within reach. Some EVs now start at 20,000 euros. Petrol prices make the calculation simple: driving 100 kilometers in a combustion car costs about 12 euros, compared with just one euro in an electric car. Alberto de Aza of BYD Spain points to better batteries and prices that match hybrids, while Spain has more than 50,000 charging points. Demand is strong, but supply is tight. The Spanish government set aside 50 million euros for the new Auto+ program in autumn 2026, and applications are open until December 31, 2026.
For companies, the deal looks different. Most corporate cars are rented or leased, and the numbers are less favorable. Lars Hoffman, a zero-emissions specialist, points to two basic problems: low resale values for pure electrics and carmakers using fleet sales to move combustion models at discounts without hurting retail prices. When cars are a benefit in kind, employees find it easier to claim petrol expenses than electric charging. Companies so stick with combustion engines. Industry analyses identify uncertainty about resale values and the appeal of discounted combustion models in fleet deals as the biggest barriers to corporate EV uptake.
José Martín Castro, president of the Asociación Española del Renting (AER), says 7% of the renting fleet is now electric, up from 2.4% of the overall Spanish car park. He says these EVs sell fastest on the second-hand market. Still, the sector is cautious. ANFAC reports that more than 17,800 of Spain’s 74,500 public charging points were inactive as of Q2 2026 because of regulatory delays, limiting the use of the infrastructure.
Lessons from Europe
Other countries have changed the rules. Portugal lets buyers deduct 100% VAT on zero-emission vehicles costing up to 62,000 euros and hybrids costing up to 50,000. Belgium allows only electric company cars to be depreciated, pushing corporate EV sales to 50%. France penalizes each additional gram of CO2 and vehicle weight, but gives electric cars a 200-kilo margin for batteries. Arnau Oliver of Transport & Environment says the stakes are high: in Europe, companies buy 60% of new cars and produce 76% of emissions from new vehicles.
Raúl Morales of Faconauto calls tax policy the basic lever. Tania Puche of Ganvam says direct aid must be matched with tax breaks for fleets. The Spanish government has responded with a new 50-million-euro line under Plan Auto+ for the self-employed and small businesses, also to the 350 million already available to private buyers. Independent reports show that subsidies for passenger BEVs and other electrified vehicles can reach 4,500 to 6,000 euros for some buyers and up to 7,500 euros for others. Vans can receive 7,500 to 12,000 euros in some cases.
Incentives and obstacles
Not everyone is convinced. Cristóbal Herrera of Feneval says rental companies buy few electric vehicles because customers don’t ask for them. He criticizes aid rules that require vehicles to remain in fleets for two years, while rental companies usually rotate cars every year. He wants more rapid chargers at airports and train stations. The Ministry for Ecological Transition points to existing accelerated depreciation for corporate tax. The Finance Ministry has no new measures planned.
Companies considering electric cars need to start with daily mileage and whether vehicles can charge overnight. How each car is used matters too: delivery vans pay off faster than executive cars. Financing and resale values also shape the decision. If the car is a benefit in kind, reimbursement for mileage can tip the scales.
Winners and losers
The Tesla Model 3 led September sales. It does not offer discounts to companies, while fleets still dominate combustion car purchases through aggressive pricing. The split is clear: companies account for more than half of all registrations, but private buyers take three out of four electric cars sold.
As reported earlier, Spain’s electric vehicle sector is drawing billions in investment. The corporate market is still missing.
Spain’s latest incentives for small businesses and the self-employed are a start. Without deeper tax reform and a new approach to fleet management, but, Spain could fall further behind its European neighbors. Companies still lack a compelling reason to switch, leaving electric car purchases concentrated among private buyers.
