Faconauto Proposes Plan to Renew 195,000 Cars Annually

While political pressure from Brussels and the socialist government focuses on transitioning the car market towards electric vehicles, industry associations argue that the priority should be to decarbonise national fleets, especially in countries where the fleet is considerably aged.

This is the case in Spain, where the average age of the vehicle fleet is nearing 15 years. The official dealership association, Faconauto, suggests that the most desirable approach for our market would be to implement a car purchase incentive plan that includes other types of engines, similar to the Reinicia Auto initiative launched to mitigate the effects of the DANA in Valencia.

The programme, which the association is already sharing with political parties, proposes an annual budget of 680 million euros – the extended funds of the Moves III for 2025 were 400 million – which would allow for the renewal of approximately 195,000 vehicles per year, according to their calculations.

Faconauto has always advocated for tax incentives based on how polluting the cars are, thus electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles would remain a priority for receiving aid (6,000 euros), followed by engines emitting less than 95 grams of CO2 per kilometre – that is, those meeting the CAFE regulation threshold to avoid fines (3,000) – and those between 95 and 120 grams (2,000).

"We know what the citizen wants," stated Faconauto's president, Marta Blázquez. "All that is missing is effective political support. However, as the market has been performing well lately [sales in May increased by 18.6%], the government does not seem very interested in diverting its attention from electric vehicles."

The association believes the plan should be active until 2027 and that every euro invested in it would translate into 1.92 euros returning to the treasury. Additionally, each car taken off the road would reduce emissions by 63.6%.

"It's not about designing new strategies, but scaling up nationally what is already working in many autonomous communities. The roadmap is clear, and the channel to implement it exists. All that is needed is to launch a plan for an urgent national need. Citizens want to replace their old cars with safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly ones, but they need the conditions to make it possible."

These conclusions were presented alongside a survey conducted by Sigma Dos, which examined the purchasing habits of Spaniards. The sample, consisting of 5,000 drivers, is the largest of its kind conducted to date and highlights two realities.

On one hand, dealerships remain the main place to learn about a manufacturer's range, and they all enjoy good credibility among consumers.

On the other hand, only 10% of respondents are willing to buy an electric car. This contrasts sharply with other propulsion options, where three-quarters would opt for a conventional hybrid, and about half are considering a Chinese car.