A total of 149 Spanish cities, those with more than 50,000 inhabitants, are affected by the obligation to have the so-called Low Emission Zones (ZBE) this year. A measure that has a full impact on the circulation of at least 3.7 million cars (more than 30% of the park) without an environmental label, which roll through its streets, three out of every ten cars. Although the figure could be even higher, due to the vehicles registered in other smaller municipalities, but that at some point have the need to access one of the regulated cities.
This is estimated by the Círculo Neutral in Motion (NIM), which includes the main automotive and vehicle associations in Spain. From this organization they point out that at the end of 2022, the average age of cars is 13.9 years, according to data from Ideauto.
The Autonomous Community with the youngest mobile fleet in Spain is Madrid with an average of 11.4 years, a fact probably related to being the city where the most new and electrified vehicles are sold. It is followed by Catalonia (13.4) and the Valencian Community (13.6). At the opposite extreme are Melilla (17.3), Ceuta (16.3) and the Canary Islands (15).
The car park in Spain
Average age of the park in 2022
total vehicles
34.624.062
Average Spain: 13.9 years
Melilla
Ceuta
Castile and Leon
Estremadura
Galicia
Asturias
The Rioja
Castilla la Mancha
Canary Islands
Navarra
Aragon
Murcia
cantabria
Andalusia
Basque Country
baleares
Valencian C
Catalonia
Madrid
Motos
Others
industrial
light commercials
tourism
buses
Above both averages
Fuente: Neutral in Motion
car park
in Spain
Average age of the park in 2022
total vehicles
34.624.062
Melilla
Ceuta
Castile and Leon
Estremadura
Galicia
Asturias
The Rioja
Castilla-LM
Canary Islands
Navarra
Aragon
Murcia
cantabria
Andalusia
Basque Country
baleares
Valencian C
Catalonia
Madrid
Motos
Others
industrial
Commercial
light
tourism
buses
Above both averages
Fuente: Neutral in Motion
According to a report from Ideauto for Anfac, 47% of the vehicles that circulated on Spanish roads in 2022 are more than 15 years old. This figure rises to 63% in cars over 10 years old. In addition, 62% of the circulating fleet (not including motorcycles) is labeled B or has no label and these vehicles represent 90% of the emissions. Very far from the European average, with 12 years old.
The demand for new cars, frozen
According to Ignacio García Rojí, spokesman for Sumauto – Autocasión, the increase in life has caused Spaniards to think twice before buying a car and remain on the lookout. «We are witnessing a frozen demand that does not allow the oldest cars to be removed from our roads and leaves our mobile fleet in a very compromised situation, which, with an average of 13.9 yearsis positioned as one of the oldest, polluting and unsafe in Europe.
This opens up, according to Rojí, “a scenario of immobilized cars that, as long as there are no plans to encourage scrap metal, will remain parked occupying space in the city, since, even if they do not have environmental labels, they will be able to continue obtaining the resident card to park in a green area.
According to the Sumauto spokesman, “we are heading towards a discriminatory mobility ‘to two energies’ in which circulation is restricted to a part of the population with fewer resources and, on the one hand, with large cities with electrified vehicles to be able to circulate without inconvenience and, on the other, small cities and rural areas with polluting and unsafe vehicles”.
To address this problem, the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers has presented a proposal for LEZs, articulated around 11 measures that aim to have a “coordinated” model and that contributes to citizens having different options for mobility, without ever going “against the vehicles”.
Remove the most polluting vehicles
According to him CEO of Anfac, José López-Tafall «LEZs can contribute to improving air quality and reducing the impact on climate change». But the practical application of the model designed in the Royal Decree by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition depends on the decision of each municipality. “Our proposal intends to be one more contribution to that decision, showing a clear model for improving air quality but also compatible with a clean vehicle and the right of citizens to freely choose how they want to move”, clarifies López-Tafall. .
park layout
by environmental label
cars and SUVs
In %
Fuente: Neutral in Motion / ABC
park layout
by environmental label
cars and SUVs
In %
Fuente: Neutral in Motion / ABC
However, one of the proposed measures consists of restrict movement by the aforementioned ZBE to the most polluting vehicles. Specifically, they propose restricting access to vehicles without a label within a period of two years, and to vehicles with an environmental label B “after four years after the publication of the mobility ordinance that regulates ZBEs.” A measure that in any case could be adopted taking into account the particularities of each of the affected cities.
For Anfac, the labels are “the most effective tool to categorize the park based on its level of emissions and encourage the purchase of Eco and Zero Label vehiclesthus promoting the renovation of the park.
The automobile employers’ association also raises the need for ZBEs to have the planning and development of a public access recharging infrastructure map.
What concerns to taxis or VTCand taking into account the number of kilometers they travel without offering a service, they consider that the rejuvenation of the fleet should be encouraged and have zero-emission vehicles or, at least, that have the C label.
The same idea works for ‘car sharing’ options, public transport fleets or official cars. It is proposed “an exemplary model” and that they be the first to make the leap to accelerated renewal of vehicles with Zero and ECO labels.
For their part, goods vehicles, among which there are the highest percentages of age and emissions, from Anfac has been urged to focus on their flows of operations since implement a progressive schedule for its corresponding ECO labeling.