Spain: aid for electric vehicles drops to just 10 million euros

According to a Royal Decree approved by the Council of Ministers, the budget for the aid decreed by the previous government, of 49 million euros, has been cut to 10 million euros for the current year.

The saving of 39 million will be allocated to reducing the public deficit, as announced by the government. It is said that the effort to reduce spending is reconciled with support for demand for this type of vehicle; it could not be said more clearly: we are reducing spending on aid because of low demand for this type of vehicle.

Although the budget has been reduced, the programme does not provide for any changes to its implementation: 25% of the pre-tax sale price will be subsidised, subject to the aforementioned per-unit limits, although it may reach 35% if the vehicle does not include the batteries. The system for granting aid is unchanged, and the granting period runs from 1 January to 30 November 2012.

The cash amounts to be granted as aid will be as follows: 2,000 euros for cars and other vehicles with an electric range of between 15 and 40 kilometres, 4,000 euros for a range of between 40 and 90 kilometres, and 6,000 euros for a range of more than 90 kilometres. For minibuses and commercial vehicles with an electric range of more than 60 kilometres, 15,000 euros will be paid, while for buses and coaches with a range of more than 60 kilometres, the aid will be 30,000 euros.

Source: La Razón