The recent DANA that hit Valencia left behind a devastating panorama for various sectors, including electromobility, whose capacity to respond to extreme weather events has been put to the test.
The effects have been multiple, from the loss of vehicles to the impact on key infrastructure.
Víctor Sanchis Valero, CEO of V2C, identifies two main affected areas: public and private charging points, and damaged electric cars.
In an attempt to dispel unfounded rumours, the expert assures that there have been no reports of fires in zero-emission cars caused by contact with water.
However, it does confirm that these cars, like those with combustion engines, have been declared total losses.
“The insurance consortium is assuming coverage, provided that the owners have the corresponding clause and the vehicle is relatively new,” he explains to Mobility Portal España.
Regarding public chargers, he said that the infrastructure seems to have withstood the onslaught, although many devices could be unusable due to the flooding.
The situation in private and communal garages is much more complex.
“Many devices have been flooded,” he says.
He explains: “With regard to private garages, if the home had insurance, it will cover their replacement or repair.”
Meanwhile, in community garages currently “the situation is unclear and we do not know which insurance company will be responsible for it.”
How did the DANA impact the Valencian automotive sector?
The DANA has had a significant impact on all component manufacturers, including the Almussafes factory.
This is confirmed by Raúl Morales García, Communication Director of Faconauto.
“We have counted 40 affected dealerships, with losses of 18,000 cars and around 490 million euros in the dealer network alone,” he explains.
This impact includes 500 heavy vehicles that were ready for delivery.
More than 100,000 Valencians have become carless, which is equivalent to the annual sales in the region.
In this regard, Morales emphasizes: “Without vehicles, it is very difficult to resume daily life and economic activity.”
Increase in demand in the second-hand market
“Currently, the second-hand market is experiencing an increase due to the high need for mobility,” says Sanchis.
However, there is still no specific information available to confirm whether this trend also extends to electric vehicles.
In general terms, Morales clarifies that the second-hand market for zero- and low-emission cars remains small in Spain, representing less than 1% of total transfers.
This is because the fleet of these cars is still limited.
As the latter grows, the second-hand market is also expected to gain relevance.
Who will bear the damage caused by DANA?
The magnitude of the damage has prompted local and national authorities, along with the Valencian community itself, to coordinate efforts to mitigate its impact.
Morales explains that Faconauto has held meetings with the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, as well as with the Generalitat Valenciana, to make itself available and help in whatever is necessary.
“The Generalitat has requested a plan of direct aid from the Government for those citizens who have lost their cars and now we have to wait to see what these movements will bring,” he explains.
These incentives would not only benefit citizens, but also companies facing difficulties in resuming operations.
“Reconstruction will be a long process and not all companies will have the resources to survive,” warns the representative of Faconauto.
In this context, Morales insists that the sector must prepare for future extreme weather events.
“We cannot allow a phenomenon of this magnitude to paralyze our activity again. We must invest in solutions that allow us to better deal with these situations,” he tells Mobility Portal España.
