Charging infrastructure is a bottleneck for the electric vehicle boom in Spain. A report published last year by a major regional paper estimates that about 16,500 charging points will be needed in the coming years. The target set by the national energy and climate plan requires roughly five new charging stations daily through 2030 to support the transition. Across the network used by more than 47 million Spaniards every day, more chargers are essential. ACEA notes that Spain ranks among the EU countries with the fewest charging stations. There are about 1.6 chargers per 100 kilometers, placing Spain near the bottom of the 27 EU members and just above nations like Romania, Hungary, the Baltic states, Cyprus, Greece, and Poland.
This shift in the auto industry has pushed manufacturers and their suppliers to accelerate plans. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has faced regulatory expectations as the bloc pushes toward an end to internal combustion engines by 2035, accelerating the move to full electrification for upcoming model years.
Simply having chargers is not enough if drivers cannot reach them easily. ACEA highlights this in a recent report that maps charger distribution against kilometers of EU road networks. The finding is stark: six member states lack a charger every 100 kilometers, while only five countries exceed ten chargers per 100 kilometers on their roads. These gaps matter because the practical availability of charging directly influences consumer adoption.
leaders
In cross-country rankings, the Netherlands leads with the most chargers, followed by Luxembourg, then larger economies like Germany, Portugal, and Sweden. Spain sits in the 19th position. Neighboring France shows a higher charger density, and market shares for electric vehicles are also higher in both Portugal and France—nearly 20 percent in Portugal and about 18 percent in France, compared with Spain.
Recent data on electric vehicle sales in Spain, based on ACEA estimates for 2021, show a meaningful uptick. Anfac reports registrations rising by about a quarter, reaching just under 60,000 units. This growth places Spain’s market share around eight and a half percent, signaling momentum as buyers respond to available models and incentives.
Warning
ACEA underscores a problem that spans the EU: most road networks lack sufficient charging points, and the pace of expansion is often too slow. This double shortfall threatens consumer confidence and slows market growth in many countries, including Spain. Industry leaders warn that without rapid expansion, widespread adoption could stall at a level far short of what the market could support.
The managing director of ACEA stresses the need for charging to be as convenient as refueling today. The message is clear: for Europe to shift to electric mobility within the next decade, charging must become a seamless and ubiquitous part of the travel experience.