Illa asks to make the leap to the electric vehicle: "If they are made at home, better"

BarcelonaAs Pedro Sánchez announced at the end of last year, the Spanish government aims to stop selling combustion engine vehicles from 2035 onwards. To achieve this, the head of the executive presented the Auto Spain 2030 Plan, also called the Auto+ plan, which, through 25 measures divided into five axes, seeks to boost innovation in the automotive industry in Spain. This Thursday, at an event held at Casa Seat in Barcelona, the sector presented the opportunities the plan can create in Catalonia. "We have a historic opportunity to lead the new era of mobility," stated Seat and Cupra CEO Markus Haupt.

During the event, which was attended by the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, vehicle manufacturers, represented by the employers' association Anfac, welcomed the administration's efforts to move forward with the plan. For his part, Illa advocated for the need to transition to electrification in order to gain "strategic autonomy": "If we can avoid depending on oil and gas imports, all the better." He also pointed to the environmental benefits of switching to electric vehicles. For these reasons, the President of the Generalitat urged Catalans that, "if you buy a car, make it electric," adding that, "if it's made locally, even better."

A new aid of €5 million

On this line, Illa announced a new line of aid worth 5 million euros, driven by Acció to encourage automotive innovation. "We want to reiterate Catalonia's commitment to green transformation," said the president at the event.

has announced the layoff of 172 of the approximately 800 employees from its plant in Viladecavalls (Vallès Occidental).

During the presentation of the plan, the need to transform the industry while maintaining jobs has been emphasized. However, in a round table discussion following the institutional interventions, the president of the Automotive Industry Cluster of Catalonia (CIAC), Josep Maria Vall, referred to labor adjustments as a "lesser evil" if they become necessary. He said this alongside Javier Pujol, CEO of Ficosa, who recently announced the dismissal of 172 out of approximately 800 employees from its Viladecavalls plant (Vallès Occidental).