10 July 2025
Spain continues to lead Europe’s big five markets with its registration performance in 2025. But as other nations struggle, what is behind this success? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the figures.
Spain’s new-car market saw registrations grow for the 10th consecutive month, as the country’s renaissance continues.
According to the latest data from industry association ANFAC, deliveries of new passenger cars increased by 15.3% in June. This meant 119,125 models found their way to customers in the month.
Spain is the only one of Europe’s big five markets to see growth in every month of 2025. June also represented the fourth time this year that improvements have entered double digits.
In the first half of the year, Spain has seen 609,836 registrations, a 13.9% improvement, according to Autovista24 calculations. This means 74,595 more new models have taken to the country’s roads.
‘June was the month in which the most passenger car sales have been made so far this year, surpassing 119,000 units. Furthermore, we have had two months with over 115,000 deliveries [in March and June],’ commented Félix García, ANFAC’s director of communications and marketing.
‘Spaniards want a new vehicle that emits less, is increasingly connected, and is safer. Based on the data, we see that hybrids continue to rise, while diesel now accounts for less than 6% of monthly sales. Regarding electrification, registrations continue to grow despite the slowness in processing MOVES III aid, the budget for which will not arrive until the end of the year,’ added Garcia.
Boom for BEVs in Spain
Exceptional circumstances have buoyed Spain’s new-car market this year. Government financial aid has supported drivers in the Valencia region. They have been replacing vehicles damaged by severe storms and flooding in 2024.
More significantly, the recent reinstatement of the MOVES III incentive scheme has fundamentally turned around the country’s electric vehicle (EV) market. Aimed at battery-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) purchases, this scheme provides subsidies up to €7,000.
BEV registrations improved by 103.3% in June, with 11,245 units delivered, based on Autovista24 calculations of ANFAC data. This is the second month in succession that BEV volumes have more than doubled and comes after MOVES III was reintroduced in April.
This gave the powertrain a 9.4% market share in the month, an improvement on the 5.4% recorded in the same period last year.
Yet despite the strong figures in May and June, Spain’s BEV market had been performing well prior to the announcement around MOVES III. This has helped the technology see an 84% improvement in registrations during the first half of the year, with 46,270 deliveries. This is a rise of 21,129 units.
The performance has given BEVs a 7.6% market share, up by 2.9 percentage points (pp) compared to the same period in 2024.
PHEVs fly in Spain
While the rise in BEV deliveries has been strong, Spain’s PHEV market has improved even more. In June, registrations were up by 160%, with 13,533 units delivered, based on Autovista24 calculations.
Like BEVs, this is the second month in succession that the PHEV market has more than doubled its volume. The technology has often proven the more popular in the EV market, providing drivers with a mix of electric and internal-combustion engine (ICE) power.
Also like BEVs, the powertrain had been performing well even prior to the MOVES III announcement in April. This means that in the first half of 2025, PHEVs have seen registrations growth of 82.4%, with 56,070 units making their way to customers. This equates to a 9.2% market share, up by 3.5pp.
Combined, the EV market surged 130.8% in June with 14,043 more units delivered. This was a record monthly total for the country, and lifted the EV market share to 20.8%, doubling its quota from a year previously. During June, one in five cars registered in Spain was a plug-in model.
In the year-to-date figures, EVs have seen volumes rise by 83.1%, with 46,452 new models registered. This has given the technology a 16.8% market share, up by 6.4pp.
However, while the figures are impressive, they are still lower than those in other major European markets. ‘Compared to Europe, we are still below the average, which is 24%. We need to consolidate this pace and ensure that citizens see electrified cars, whether pure electric or plug-in hybrid, as their next purchasing option,’ stated José López-Tafall, general director of ANFAC.
‘To achieve this, improving the efficiency of purchase aids, strengthening the publicly accessible charging network, and increasing the visibility of roadside signage are all part of a positive message for citizens.’
Hybrids remain dominant
Hybrids, including both full and mild hybrid powertrains, remained the most popular choice in Spain during June. In total, 46,637 units were delivered, equating to a rise of 24.3% compared to the same month last year, based on Autovista24 analysis.
This performance meant the technology now holds 39.1% of the market, a 2.8 pp increase from last year. However, this is the second month in a row its share has been under 40%. It is also the lowest share this fuel-type has seen since it became more popular than petrol in July 2024. However, this does not mean it is doing badly. Instead, the market is becoming more varied, with more people choosing BEVs and PHEVs.
In the first half of 2025, hybrids lead the way with 253,913 registrations, up by 32.9% compared to the same period in 2024. Their market leading 41.6% share is a rise of 5.9pp.
Combining hybrids and EVs, the electrified market saw a 48% rise in registrations last month, with 23,160 more units delivered. This gave the sector a commanding 60% market share, up by 13.3pp compared to June 2024.
Between January and June, electrified models made up 58.4% of total registrations, a rise of 12.3pp. Volumes increased by 44.3%, with 109,288 more units taking to the country’s roads.
ICE slides further into decline
While electrified vehicles have seen a popularity boost, Spain’s internal-combustion engine (ICE) market is in serial decline, mirroring a Europe-wide trend.
Petrol registrations fell by 13.7%, according to Autovista24 calculations. While the volume of 34,892 made the powertrain the second-best in the country, its market share of 29.3% leaves it a long way off the hybrid sector. This was a fall from the 39.1% recorded a year previously.
In the first half of the year, petrol saw volumes decline 13.4%, with 188,292 units taking to the road. The 30.9% market share was down 9.7pp compared to the same period last year.
Diesel suffered its worst fall of 2025, with registrations down by 45.2% year on year. Conversely, its 6,588-unit total was also the highest volume seen by the diesel market so far in 2025. However, with a 5.5% market share, down by 6.1pp, it was the worst-performing of the major powertrains.
The result has left diesel registrations down 37.8% in the first half of 2025, with a 5.6% share of overall deliveries. This is a drop from the 10.3% it held last year. At that point, it was the country’s third-best powertrain.
Combining the two fuel types, the ICE market struggled in June, with deliveries down 20.9%. This equated to 10,990 fewer units, and left it with a 34.8% market share, some way from the 50.8% seen in the same month of 2024.
Between January and June, ICE registrations have fallen 18.3%, with 49,971 fewer deliveries. The 36.5% hold of overall registrations is down by 14.4pp year on year.
