Record results as Spain’s new-car market goes electric
09 June 2025
Spain has proven to be Europe’s most stable new-car market in recent months, with May proving no different. As the country experienced record electric vehicle (EV) uptake, Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest performance.
For the ninth consecutive month, Spain’s new-car market saw registrations increase. With 112,820 deliveries to customers in May, new-car figures were up 18.6%, according to industry association ANFAC.
While the rest of Europe’s big five markets have seen registration figures fluctuate this year, Spain has proven to be the most stable. Registrations have benefitted from the replacement of cars after severe storms hit the Valencian community last year. However, recent months have also seen a surge in EV registrations.
The strong performance means that Spain’s new-car market was up 13.6% over the first five months of the year. A total of 490,709 models have taken to the country’s roads in that time, according to Autovista24 calculations.
‘It is positive news that sales are maintaining this pace. On the one hand, due to the renewal of the fleet, which is no longer driven by diesel and petrol, but by conventional and electrified hybrids. On the other hand, due to the increase in sales of electrified vehicles, which allows us to continue making progress towards the emissions reduction target,’ commented Félix García, director of Communications and Marketing at ANFAC.
‘Once again, the boost from both sales in the [storm damaged] DANA zone in Valencia has helped. The strong growth of the electrified market has also driven the figures. In May, electrified registrations reached a record with nearly 20% of the market.
A record for PHEVs
Spain has lagged behind other major markets when it comes to EV registrations. Deliveries of both battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have struggled in the country.
However, the market has picked up momentum following the reintroduction of the country’s MOVES III incentive programme for this year. With subsidies now in place for EV sales, and retroactively applied to EV purchases from the beginning of the year, registrations are improving rapidly.
PHEVs led the way for EVs during May. The powertrain saw figures improve by 169.4% year on year. In total, 12,895 new models took to the country’s roads according to Autovista24 calculations, an increase of 8,108 units.
Even without the MOVES III incentives, the plug-in powertrain has been increasing its hold on the market across the year. May saw it reach an 11.4% share of total registrations. This was up by 6.4pp compared to the same period last year. The results marked the first time the technology achieved registration figures in five digits.
Over the first five months of 2025, PHEV registrations jumped by 66.5%, with 42,536 deliveries. This has given the technology an 8.7% market share, up from the 5.9% recorded by the same point in 2024.
Electric cars double up
While not achieving the high volume of PHEVs, the BEV market also saw growth above 100%. With 8,969 registrations, the all-electric technology improved by 104.2% in May, according to Autovista24 calculations. This gave it an 8% share of the market, up by 3.4pp.
In the year-to-date, BEVs achieved the best growth of the major powertrains. Figures were up by 78.6% across the first five months of the year.
Combined, the EV market saw growth of 138.2% last month, with 12,685 more BEVs and PHEVs finding their way to customers. This meant EVs took a record 19.4% market in May, up by 9.8pp. In the year to date, EV registrations were up 71.8%, while the market share of 15.8% was up by 5.3pp.
Reducing emissions, boosting electric
These increases are a big boost for Spain, which wants to reduce the average age of its fleet and decarbonise. The country saw average CO2 emissions from new cars sold in the month fall to 104.1g/km. This equates to a decline of 12.6% compared to the same month in 2024.
Across the first five months of the year, average emissions stood at 108.8g/km. This was a drop of 7.6% when compared with the same period last year.
‘May marked an important milestone in the advancement of electrification. With more than 20,000 sales in one month, it represented nearly 20% of the market, a record in the Spanish market,’ commented José López-Tafall, CEO of ANFAC.
‘We must continue working because our objective cannot be just to grow, but first to match, and then surpass, the European average, as befits a country that wants to be a hub for electrification and attract investment. Therefore, measures to improve the effectiveness of subsidies, or to signpost and highlight the significant charging network already available, are decisions that will allow us to take even greater advantage of this positive momentum of progress for electrified vehicles,’ he added.
ICE downfall continues
While EVs enjoyed a strong month, their success came at the expense of the internal-combustion engine (ICE) sector.
Petrol-powered cars have been in decline for some months. In May, a total of 33,643 units were delivered, according to Autovista24 calculations. This was a 15.5% fall compared to the same period in 2024. The performance left the powertrain with a 29.8% market share, some way off the 41.8% recorded in May 2024.
While the figures made petrol the second-most-popular powertrain in Spain, it is no longer the dominant force it once was. Between January and May, a total of 153,407 units have taken to Spanish roads, a drop of 13.3%. This left the technology with a 31.3% share of the year-to-date registrations total, a fall of 9.7pp.
Meanwhile, diesel deliveries fell by 40.2% in the month, with just 5,855 models finding their way to customers. This gave the technology a 5.2% market share, a fall of 5.1pp.
Until December 2024, diesel was Spain’s third most popular fuel type. This went against trends seen in other major European markets where sales had slumped significantly. Yet in the last six months, it has been comfortably outpaced by BEVs, while PHEVs overtook the technology in January of this year.
In the first five months of 2025, diesel registrations fell by 35.7%, with just 27,685 deliveries. This left the powertrain with a 5.6% market share, a drop of 4.4pp.
These poor results meant that in May, the ICE market declined by 20.4% to 39,498 units. This left it with a 35% hold of the total volume, down by 17.1pp. In the year to date, ICE deliveries fell by 17.7% to 181,092 units. The 36.9% market share fell by 14.1pp in a 12-month period.
Hybrids prove popular
The hybrid market, made up of full and mild versions, led the way in Spain during May. According to Autovista24 calculations, 44,981 new hybrid passenger cars took to the country’s roads, representing a 32% year-on-year increase.
Hybrids have been the country’s most popular powertrain type since July 2024, and have firmly established themselves in that time. Last month, they took a 39.9% share of the market, up by 4.1pp.
This was, however, the lowest market share for the powertrain so far this year. It was the first time its share dipped below 40% since taking the market lead from petrol. This was mostly due to the improvement in the EV market, rather than buyers moving away from the technology.
In the year to date, a total of 207,272 new hybrids made their way on to Spanish roads. This was up 35% compared to the first five months of last year. This represented 42.2% of the market, an improvement of 6.6pp.
Combining hybrid and EV figures, the total electrified vehicle sector saw growth of 54.5% in May, with 66,846 models delivered. This represented 59.3% of all deliveries in the month. Between January and May, electrified registrations improved by 43.3%, with 284,838 units finding their way to customers. This gave the technology a 58% market share, up by 12pp compared to the same period last year.
