Spain sees increase in alternative fuel vehicles registration

Spain saw the largest increase in sales of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) in the European Union (EU) in the first quarter of the year, it was announced Thursday.

Registrations of AFV rose by 87.4 percent in the first quarter of the year in Spain compared to the same period of last year, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

In the first three months of 2016 registrations had reached 7,599 in Spain, while in the first three months of this year they reached 14,244.

The increase in Spain surpassed the EU average, where as a whole, 212,945 units were registered in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the 154,754 units of 2016, meaning a 37.6 percent increase.

"We hope that registrations will increase little by little to reach market shares such as those of other countries in Europe, for example the Nordic countries, or even Germany or Italy," Adolfo Randulfe, director of communications of the Spanish Association of Car and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC), said.

In the first quarter of the year, "sales of hybrid vehicles rose by 93 percent in Spain and those of pure electric vehicles have risen by 5 percent," said Randulfe.

"We have to wait for plans that boost the purchase of this type of vehicle and also encourage companies to put charging points," he said. Endite