The average age of the car fleet in Spain will increase again in 2023 and reach 14.2 years of age, as indicated in the latest Annual Report 2023, prepared by the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC). Spain continues to have one of the oldest fleets in Europe, exceeding the continent’s average age of 12.3 years [1].
Of the more than 30 million vehicles circulating in Spain in 2023, it is worrying that nearly 15 million were 15 years old or older. According to ANFAC data, in the last year, for every new passenger car registered, nearly 1.3 passenger cars older than 10 years have been sold, diverting the market towards older vehicles that delay the renewal of the fleet and hinder compliance with the emissions reduction targets required by Europe.
Evolution of the average age of the passenger car fleet in Spain
LOW AND ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES REPRESENT ONLY 5.7% OF THE TOTAL FLEET
As for the vehicle fleet based on DGT labels, Label 0 has increased its presence by 50.9% in 2023 and Label ECO by 31%. However, this type of vehicle only represents 5.7% of the total Spanish vehicle fleet. For its part, vehicles with Label C have increased by 6.1% compared to last year, with 10,793,282 units. While vehicles without an environmental badge made up 29.4% of the total, and Label B represented 29.8% of the fleet, totaling nearly 18.1 million vehicles. However, vehicles without a label fell by 2% compared to the previous year.
According to the association, it is necessary to remove old vehicles from circulation for reasons of both road safety and sustainability. In fact, a Euro 6d vehicle (the current level for new vehicles) emits 70% less NOx and 30% less CO2 compared to a 14-year-old vehicle [2], which is the average age of the vehicle fleet in Spain.
According to data collected in the association’s 2023 Annual Report, during the past year in Spain, average CO2 emissions during 2023 reached 117g CO2/km travelled, according to data taken from new passenger car registrations in accordance with the WLTP Procedure. This represents a decrease of 2.87% compared to the previous year, a figure that represents the continued progress in the sector driven by brands working towards an emissions-free market.
Pure electric vehicles will represent 0.5% of the total fleet in 2023
As for the vehicle fleet by energy source, pure electric vehicles total 170,410 vehicles, which represents an increase of 54.9% compared to the previous year. Despite this increase, they represent only 0.5% of the total fleet.
For their part, plug-in hybrids (PHEV) were in circulation in 2023, 196,734 vehicles , 46.8% more than the previous year and representing 0.6% of the total fleet in Spain.
According to the employers’ association, in order to continue a positive trend in electrification, it is necessary to improve the quality (ultra-fast charging stations of more than 150kW), quantity and capillarity of publicly accessible charging stations available. During the first quarter of 2024, according to data from the ANFAC Electromobility Barometer, the public access charging infrastructure has reached 32,422 operational charging points in Spain, 3,121 more than in the data at the end of 2023; however, 75% of the access points are still slow charging or less than 22kW.
Following the publication of these data, José López-Tafall, general director of ANFAC, pointed out that:
“Every year, we are more concerned about the ageing of our vehicle fleet. In 2023, the average age of vehicles has exceeded 14 years. In the last decade, the age of our cars has increased by more than three years. It is crucial to revitalize the market and overcome the barrier of one million units, which will allow us to introduce new, more sustainable and safe vehicles. At ANFAC, we insist on the importance of improving the efficiency of MOVES with direct incentives for purchases and guaranteeing its continuity by 2025. Likewise, we must promote taxation that encourages and favors the acquisition of electrified vehicles. These actions, together with clear support from the public administration, are clear messages of support for change that should serve to convince citizens that any new vehicle is superior to an old one, not only in terms of sustainability but also in efficiency and, above all, in safety.”
[1] Regarding the 2022 base
[2] Data 2022 Europe – ACEA
