“From my point of view, the MOVES Plan should have been reviewed, and certain aspects corrected,” states Elis Álvarez González, CEO at Smart Wallboxes.
At the request of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree extending the incentives program for the eMobility sector (MOVES III) until July 31, 2024.
For seven more months, access to incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles and charging points will be available, but under the same terms as before.
Users make the purchase, the incentive is processed, and then, between 12 and 24 months later, the promised funds are received.
This, a factor that could be addressed, as suggested by Álvarez González in a conversation with Mobility Portal Spain: “The immediate payment at the time of purchase is a factor that could have boosted electric car sales and helped convince those who have certain concerns.”
This system is not the first time it has been considered in the equation.
Key figures in the eMobility sector, clusters, associations, and ministers have shown support for it.
Not too long ago, last year, the former Minister of Industry, Héctor Gómez, committed to the immediate payment formula:
“We are aware that the Moves Plan has its strengths and weaknesses. From a timing perspective, making the assistance flexible so that it is received when the vehicle is purchased is a step we are going to take; that is the commitment.”
Currently, these incentives (including those for the installation of charging points) take a year or more to be received, diminishing their attractiveness. Ultimately, this affects the sales of these models.
Registrations of electrified cars, including both 100 per cent electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, experienced a significant growth of 47.2 per cent in 2023 in Spain.
This data is provided by the Business Association for the Development and Promotion of Electric Mobility (AEDIVE) and the National Association of Vehicle Sellers (Ganvam).
The increase led to a total of 116,590 units registered, constituting 12 per cent of the total car registrations in the country.
In December, registrations of electrified vehicles continued to rise, increasing by 52.9 per cent, reaching 12,569 units.
In the words of the CEO at Smart Wallboxes, the numbers could have skyrocketed with a different approach to incentives.
While awaiting the renewal, the company specializing in the installation of charging points and photovoltaic panels continues to operate within the eMobility market.
How?
Currently, the eMobility company stands out in the installation of electric vehicle chargers in three sectors.
In residences, it installs efficient and secure equipment “so that you can enjoy the convenience of charging your electric car at home.”
In community parking lots, it deploys devices with dynamic power management and Wifi/Bluetooth connectivity, ensuring that cars are charged with the maximum possible range.
In the corporate sector, it carries out the installation of charging solutions for electric vehicle fleets and employees, contributing to the organization’s carbon footprint reduction.
“At Smart Wallboxes, we take care of everything, from design and execution to permit management and grant applications,” emphasizes Álvarez González.
This was highlighted during their participation in the Ibero-American Electric and Sustainable Mobility Fair organized by Mobility Portal España and Mobility Portal Latinoamérica.
