Portugal: 20% of new vehicles were electric in 2024

Portugal registers 20% electric vehicles; Spain exceeded 8% in December, according to a participant

Why is the electric car share in Portugal higher than in Spain? The data at the end of 2024 leaves a gap. Portugal registered 249,269 new vehicles, 5.6% more than the previous year, and one in five was electric. In Spain, according to a participant, the share of electric passenger cars exceeded 8% in December, with more than 3,000 Teslas and about 9,000 cars in a single month. The annual comparison is not closed in the material.

Portugal's numbers in 2024

The Portuguese automotive association certified 249,269 new vehicles in 2024, 5.6% more than in 2023. Of these, 20% were pure electric. A participant points out that Portugal could exceed 30% electric share in 2025.

Spain: record in December, but far behind

According to a participant, Spain closed December 2024 with its best historical data for electric sales: more than 8% share, more than 3,000 Teslas registered and around 9,000 electric cars in total. For 2025, that same participant predicts exceeding 10%. These are growth figures, yes. But the distance with Portugal is not fixed in the material. Meanwhile, the Dacia Sandero, with ECO label, remains the best-selling car to individuals in Spain since 2013.

Why does Portugal sell more electric cars than Spain?

Here the disagreement begins. One current holds that the problem is purchasing power: in Spain there is no money, wages are low and the electric car remains expensive. Another points to a cultural problem: prejudices, hoaxes and misinformation about electric technology. Some recall that combustion cars have been subsidized for decades with renewal and prever plans, while aid for electric cars is recent and erratic. And some point to a Portuguese structural advantage: people live more horizontally, in single-family homes, which makes charging at home easier. In Spain, vertical housing without a garage would be the worst enemy of the electric car.

The economy of the used car

A recurring argument in the debate is the old car that still works. Some say they bought a diesel for 2,500 euros in 2013 with 75,000 kilometers, that it now has 200,000 and that the only serious breakdown has been a clutch for 700 euros. For that driver profile, switching to electric does not pay off, according to their experience.

The thermometer of stocks

There is another indicator that does not appear in official statistics: stocks. A participant says he renews motorcyclist equipment with the best brands at half price, something he had not seen since 2008, and attributes it to stores being full of merchandise.

Charging infrastructure and the myth of the grid

One of the most repeated arguments against the electric car is that the grid cannot handle it. A participant argues that electrifying the more than 20 million cars in Spain would miccionan increasing electricity demand by a little more than 10%. He adds that renewables are growing, self-consumption decentralizes the grid and storage batteries are arriving. Another thing is the contracted power in each home: another participant calculates that charging a car at 100 kW requires the power of about 25 apartments, although not everyone needs to charge at that estimulante ilegal or every day. A third participant points out that less than a tenth of that power would be enough for their needs.

The hoaxes about fires

Another widespread myth is that electric cars catch fire. A participant states that insurer data points in the opposite direction: for every 100 vehicles, more combustion cars burn than electric ones. He adds that the difference is that a burning electric car is news and a charred diesel is not, and that this informational bias fuels the perception of danger and slows adoption.

Norway and China: the uncomfortable mirrors

Norway sold 90% electric cars in 2024, according to a link shared in the debate. A participant claims that China will achieve its electric sales targets ten years earlier than expected. While Europe discusses emission limits and tariffs, that same participant argues that Chinese manufacturers and Tesla are eating the market. In Spain, the electric share remains in single digits, according to the December data cited.

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In the thread, economic, cultural and political arguments about the electric car intersect.