Through this agreement, the company and the different administrations are committed to implementing agile and effective measures to guarantee the success of the transformation towards electrification by providing incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles with direct aid, promoting the charging infrastructure, renewing the public fleets of the different administrations with electric vehicles and proactively and positively communicating the advantages of electric vehicles.
‘In March 2021, we promised to electrify our company and put Spain on electric wheels. Since then, we have worked hard to make this goal a reality. However, the market is not getting off the ground as this year, 25% of vehicles sold in Europe should be 100% electric and we are only halfway there. In Spain we are much further away, with just over 5%, and there is no sign of improvement,’ said Wayne Griffiths, President of SEAT S.A. ‘With this declaration, the Spanish Government and communities with governments of different political colours are sending a very positive message to the whole country and to Europe: only together will we succeed in making Spain a benchmark country for sustainable mobility in the future’, Griffiths added.
A commitment to boost electric mobility
SEAT S.A. and the signatory administrations assume responsibility for leading the transition to cleaner mobility, following the European target of selling only zero-emission vehicles by 2035 and becoming a climate-neutral continent by 2050. As the second largest car producer in Europe and the ninth largest in the world, Spain and its industry have laid the foundations for the car of the future. With the aim of guaranteeing the success of the transformation towards electrification, SEAT S.A. has promoted this declaration in which it commits, together with the Spanish Government, through the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, and the governments of Catalonia, the Comunitat Valenciana and Navarre, to work on:
- Effective incentives for the purchase of electric vehicle
Study a programme of incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, respecting the framework of competences. This would make aid available at the time of vehicle purchase with the aim of making electric mobility available to the public, as well as tax measures and complementary aid plans at regional level. Also promote measures to promote electric vehicles in fleets of private companies and rental companies, which could at the same time create a second-hand electric car market and renew Spain's vehicle fleet.
- Boosting the charging infrastructure
Continue adopting measures to increase the rate of growth of charging infrastructure, especially ultra-fast charging points on major roads, defining a five-year deployment plan with annual milestones to be met. Likewise, improve administrative management to speed up processing, approval, installation and start-up, developing and implementing signage on the road network to inform of the existence of charging points. Create a single, useful digital platform for users that allows access to any of the charging points, regardless of the operator.
- Use of electrified vehicles in public fleets
Promote the renewal of the vehicle fleets of the different Public Administrations with electrified vehicles to promote sustainable mobility and lead by example in the eyes of the public.
- Proactive and positive communication on the advantages of electric vehicles
Implement, in collaboration with the sector, communication campaigns across different channels and media to inform about the benefits of electric vehicles for sustainable mobility and also to put an end to the false myths surrounding their use.
- Creation of a working group
Establish a working group formed by Catalonia, Navarre and the Comunitat Valenciana, together with other Administrations and private actors, to develop the indicated actions and other measures that can be adopted to relaunch electrification in Spain and can serve as an example to be applied in other autonomous communities.
The President of Navarre, María Chivite Navascués, highlighted Navarre's leadership in the deployment of electric mobility and emphasised the value of the ecosystem of the most industrialised autonomous community in Spain, and in particular the fiscal aid provided by the regional government for the purchase of electrified vehicles and the installation of charging points. Chivite highlighted the historic investment in the Volkswagen plant in Landaben, which will mean a key transformation for the company and the sector, as well as for suppliers and companies in the new electric vehicle value chain. She also pointed out that talent and human capital are fundamental in this transition, which is why she underlined the importance of training and retraining, which the Government of Navarre is also promoting.
The President of the Generalitat Valenciana, Carlos Mazón, has underscored the Comunitat Valenciana's capacity to "take on the challenge of decarbonization, in which electric vehicles are destined to play an essential role," while advocating for "public-private collaboration and a united effort" to guarantee the success of the transformation towards electromobility.
Carlos Mazón has emphasised the Generalitat Valenciana's commitment to achieving "energy sovereignty" in the Comunitat Valenciana and transforming the territory "into a reference space in the electric automotive sector," for which he has demanded the need for incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, tax exemptions, and an increase in charging points, among other measures.
The Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, has highlighted that "we are facing a historic transformation of industry and mobility, of enormous dimensions, and therefore public-private collaboration is more necessary than ever to continue advancing towards a more sustainable mobility." In this regard, he has underlined the commitment and investment of the Volkswagen Group, SEAT S.A. and PowerCo. "A commitment to Spain and to electric vehicles that we are supporting clearly and firmly through the PERTE VEC," he added.
Salvador Illa, President of the Generalitat de Catalunya, has stated that: “Catalonia supports this transformation. We have the commitment, the talent, and the involvement of companies. Now, it is necessary to join forces, through public-private collaboration, to effectively carry out the reindustrialization of the automotive sector in Catalonia and throughout Spain”.
SEAT S.A. leader in the transformation towards the electric vehicle
The signing of the “CASA SEAT Declaration for the promotion of electric mobility in Spain” reinforces the role of SEAT S.A. as a leading company and main promoter of the electric vehicle in the country. With this commitment, the company expects to make up for lost time and accelerate the transformation of Spain.
“The automotive industry is a strategic pillar of the Spanish economy as it represents 10% of Spanish GDP and employs more than two million people. It is therefore essential to ensure that the investments being made by manufacturers are sustainable. We need urgent solutions and with today's meeting we are moving in this direction,” said Wayne Griffiths, CEO of SEAT and CUPRA.
In March 2021, the company made a commitment to put Spain on electric wheels and since then has been working hard to make it happen. SEAT S.A., together with Volkswagen Group, PowerCo and its partners in the Future: Fast Forward project, is investing 10 billion euros to turn Spain into a hub for electromobility in Europe. This country initiative guarantees the production of four models of urban electric vehicles at the Martorell and Landaben factories starting in 2026. Batteries produced in Sagunto will be used for their manufacture and more than 70% of the components are allocated to more than 100 suppliers in Spain.
The Future: Fast Forward project has a direct impact on more than 145,000 jobs, securing current positions and creating new jobs in Catalonia, Navarre, the Comunitat Valenciana and eight other autonomous communities, in an example of how companies of all sectors and sizes are able to join forces to promote the electric vehicle. SEAT S.A. also wants to lead by example and will double during the first quarter of 2025 the number of chargers at its facilities to more than 250, and during the year it will triple the charging network in the parking lots around its factory in Martorell, reaching 140 points.