The Automotive Update: New EV incentives in Spain and tariff hope for VW Group
05 December 2025
Spain launches a new national electric vehicle (EV) incentive framework. The EU reviews tariffs on Volkswagen (VW) Group’s countervailing duties. Also, a look into Zipcar’s potential UK exit. Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus goes behind the headlines in The Automotive Update podcast.
In this week’s episode, Autovista24 is joined by Autovista Group’s regional head of valuation and insights, Ana Azofra. She offers her thoughts on Spain’s bold new EV incentive plans, and what they mean for the country’s new-car market.
Also, a look into how the European Commission is reviewing tariffs on a made-in-China battery-electric vehicle (BEV) from VW Group. Finally, Zipcar looks to cease its UK operations.
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Spain’s revamped EV inventive plan
This week saw the formal unveiling of Spain’s new approach to EV incentives. Dubbed the Auto 2030 Plan, the scheme will replace the current MOVES funding framework, which ends on 31 December. The plan will allocate €400 million to aid direct purchases of electric cars. It will be rolled out from 1 January 2026, according to Motor.es.
Under the Auto 2030 Plan, regional administrations will no longer control and allocate funds. Instead, the process will be directed by the central government. Another key change includes providing incentives at the point of purchase, as reported by EFE.
The Auto 2030 Plan will direct €580 million from an EU-funded scheme to support industrial development. Additionally, €300 million will be made available to expand the country’s EV charging infrastructure.
EU review of tariffs
The European Commission is reviewing its tariffs on VW Group BEVs made in China. This follows VW Anhui, producer of the Cupra Tavascan, and SEAT, importer of the model, proposing a price undertaking.
Since the EU implemented tariffs on BEVs made in China last year, the model has seen countervailing duties of 20.7%. This is on top of the existing 10% import duty. SEAT confirmed with Autovista24 that its proposal includes an annual import quota and a minimum import price.
‘If accepted, this would result in the non-application of countervailing duties on the Cupra Tavascan. The exemption will take effect once the European Commission accepts the undertaking and adopts the corresponding regulation,’ a spokesperson said. The process can be expected to take a few months.
A spokesperson for the European Commission told Autovista24 that: ‘the door remains open for other companies to submit price undertaking offers, either jointly by groups of companies or by individual companies, as long as they adequately address the issue of Chinese subsidies.’
End of the road for Zipcar in the UK
Zipcar, the car-sharing platform, looks set to close its UK operations by the end of this year. The Avis Budget-owned company has updated its UK site with a message for customers.
‘Zipcar proposes to cease operations in the UK, subject to formal consultation with affected employees. During this period, we will not be accepting new member applications,’ it reads.
Vehicles can still be booked and used up until 31 December 2025. Any new bookings are temporarily suspended beyond this date, pending the employee consultation. Zipcar operations in the US are not affected by this proposal, according to the company’s FAQs.
