The outlook for traditional mechanics workshops is shifting rapidly in the face of electric mobility. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles paired with low-emission zones prompts a steep drop in routine service demand within these workshops. Cities with populations over 50,000 are moving to implement such zones this year, a trend already foreseen in the Alicante region. Forecasts indicate that nearly half of these workshops may face shutdown risk, translating to around 500 closures. Only businesses ready to transform and align with new market needs are likely to endure.
In February, Eurocamara signaled a decisive step toward banning combustion vehicles at the community level by 2035, cementing a firm commitment to electrified transport. Municipalities with populations exceeding 50,000 are expected to begin implementing low-emission zones this year as part of this broader shift toward electric mobility.
Several industry analyses suggest that this policy move could affect the broader Spanish market as a whole. Nearly four million vehicles in Spain lack environmental labeling. Of the roughly 11.5 million cars circulating in urban areas, many locations are moving toward zones that require these labels. A recent Solera study, a consultancy focused on data and lifecycle management in vehicles, projects that more than two million passenger cars could be scrapped due to forthcoming restrictions, making a national transition time unavoidable.
For Alicante, while precise numbers are not published, applying the same proportional estimates points to around 175,000 vehicles potentially affected, with about half of them likely to be unregistered.
In this context, concerns among mechanical shops are understandable. The Association of Automobile Repair Shops and Related Entrepreneurs of the Province of Alicante (Atayapa) confirms that the situation is highly complex. The association’s president emphasizes that the market is entering a significantly altered phase. As electric vehicles become more prevalent at the expense of combustion models, total service volume is expected to decline markedly. He notes that routine maintenance tasks tied to petrol and diesel engines, such as oil changes, will diminish, while the focus will shift to essential resilience tasks like brake systems, suspensions, and tires—areas also relevant for electric cars.
Movement restrictions penalize mechanical workshops: 125m euros lost
There is also the factor that many drivers remain uncertain about choosing petrol or electric powertrains when purchasing a new car, a hesitation that slows turnover and tightens regulatory constraints on older vehicles. This uncertainty nudges some customers toward public transport or walking instead, affecting workshop demand.
Against this backdrop, only about half of Alicante’s 1,100 mechanical workshops are expected to stay open. The president highlights that impact will not be uniform; shops may differ based on whether they specialize in general mechanical work or electronics, and on their willingness to pivot to meet new fleet requirements. Adaptation is no longer optional but essential for survival.
Eight cities must impose traffic restrictions
Eight cities in Alicante are required to implement low-emission zones this year under European guidelines. Specifically, the provincial capitals of Elche, Torrevieja, Orihuela, Benidorm, Alcoy, San Vicente del Raspeig, and Elda meet the population criterion of more than 50,000 residents. Presently, none of these cities has fully activated the zones, but preparations are underway to comply with the regulations. For instance, Alicante’s mobility plan envisions two concentric rings: an outer ring delineated by Gran Via and an inner ring centered on the city core, guiding a shift toward more sustainable transportation choices.