Spain's Moves III leaves 2,700 buyers without subsidy or car

Trapped in Spain's Moves III: €7,000 subsidy that never arrived

They submitted their paperwork on time, scrapped their old car and bought an electric vehicle. The subsidy, up to €7,000, still hasn't arrived. There are around 2,700 affected buyers according to published reports, and the official account offers no clear way out.

On 23 December 2024, the Spanish government extended the Moves III plan by royal decree, as it was due to expire at the end of the year. The deadline was pushed to 30 June 2025. With that assurance, thousands of buyers rushed to dealerships. The problem: the extension was a promise that the subsequent parliamentary defeat left up in the air.

The mechanics of aid without a safety net

The aid comes with a perverse requirement: to receive it, you must hand over your old car for scrapping. In other words, the applicant destroys their property with the state's word as collateral. When the subsidy vanishes, the victim is left without money, without an old car and with an electric vehicle paid for at full price. The most cited case is that of Iván Ponce, who bought a Tesla and is still waiting for the subsidy.

Some argue that buyers should have been wary of a programme extended on the fly. But the simplest reading is more uncomfortable: the state encouraged citizens to get rid of their vehicle with aid that lacked assured budgetary backing.

Meanwhile, the car pollutes just the same

An additional irony: the electric car emits the same with or without a subsidy. The problem isn't pollution, but broken trust. Several affected buyers are considering lawsuits, with the cost that entails.

The question remains open: who is accountable when the state breaks its own promise?