Electric car sales have doubled in Malaga but still only account for 10% of market share
New vehicle sales and registrations are showing clear signs of recovery due to concerns about low-emission zones
New car sales and registrations are showing clear signs of recovery in Malaga, a province where the calendar is circled in red, awaiting the imminent introduction of actual fines for entering the low emission zone (ZBE) in the provincial capital. While this regulation actually came into effect on 1 December 2024, fines for prohibited vehicles - basically, those without an environmental 'eco' sticker and registered outside the city - will only start being issued from 30 November this year.
This, together with improved employment, relative economic stability and lower prices from some vehicle brands, has led to a rebound in new car registrations of up to 25% in October, according to data provided by AMA, the Malaga association for dealerships and employers in the automotive sector.
Electric vehicle sales double their annual figures, although their market impact remains limited
In the category of all-electric vehicles, sales have grown by 150% in the last month and doubled in the year to date (327 and 2,427 units respectively). However, these figures are still far from decisive, representing only around 10% of annual growth and 13% in the last month.
Hybrids, the best sellers
Hybrid cars (petrol-electric) are currently the most popular in a market where diesel cars, once the most sought-after, have practically disappeared. By market segment, individual drivers account for the majority of sales: 1,815 cars registered last month, a 22.5% increase (15,176 from January to October, a 15.6% increase).
Sales are also trending upward in the corporate car market, although they have declined slightly in the case of car rental companies. Commercial vehicle sales are also on the rise (240, a 17% increase). In total, 25,408 cars have gone into circulation in the Costa del Sol province so far this year, representing a 21.4% increase, and points to the best year-end figures since the pandemic.
Carlos Oliva, AMA's president, warns that the market has been weighed down for the last five years by problems such as the excessive rise in the CPI (consumer price index), rising fuel prices and the transition to electric vehicles. For this reason, the sector is calling for direct government aid to encourage the scrapping of outdated vehicles and the renewal of the province's vehicle fleet, which is one of the oldest in Spain, with an average vehicle age of around 15 years.
