Zapatero Unveils Proposal to Promote Electric Car

Prime Minister Zapatero, today presented his proposal to parliament for the introduction of the electric car, a project that is expected to receive subsidies of around 590 million euros over the next two years.

The ‘Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Electric Vehicle’ documents the required process for the introduction of the electric car, providing 250,000 vehicles by 2014, which is to include rechargeable ‘hybrid’ vehicles.

The outline plan calls for a new electricity tariff, to take advantage of the optimum hours for recharging and for a better functioning of the system. The proposal highlights a need for 62,000 private recharging points, 263,000 in fleet car parks, 12,150 in public car parks and 6,200 on the public highway – all to be in operation by 2014.

As of 2011, it is expected there will be a quick-charge point for every 400 charging stations for private cars, reaching a total of 1,260 charging stations of this type by 2014.

The proposal to increase use of the electric car has been put forward in two separate modules within the plan; one to give priority to fleet cars, and the other designed to promote the use of the electric car around town centres, similar to those already being trialed in Madrid, where free parking has even been granted in some areas.