Non-plug-in hybrids: the technology preferred by Spaniards when choosing a car

BarcelonaThe road to electric cars in Spain is slower than expected. Several factors make the pure electric car and plug-in hybrids They do not end up achieving sales as high as in other countries in the European environment. On the other hand, in Spain a transitional technology is being imposed: non-plug-in hybrid cars. In 2024, this type of technology was established as the first in the State, a situation that has continued to be consolidated during the first two months of this year.

Several aspects make the non-plug-in hybrid car prevail in Spain. The lack of aid - the MOVES III has declined, and when it was in force, the payment of aid was delayed up to a year and a half -, the lack of a sufficient charging infrastructure fast and publicly accessible – also without a unified payment system – and the price of electric and plug-in hybrid cars, still superior to other technologies, has boosted sales of non-plug-in hybrids.

But what is a non-plug-in hybrid? Stellantis, one of the world's leading manufacturers, explains: "Its engine is hybrid, that is, it is equipped with a combustion engine and one or more electric motors. The latter are powered by a battery that is charged to recover part of the energy from the combustion engine during operation, braking and deceleration." The advantages are clear: the car emits less CO₂ and fuel consumption is lower. But unlike plug-in hybrids, it has a short range in electric mode. That's why it's especially suitable for urban traffic, with short journeys. While the lower battery capacity of non-plug-in hybrids limits their autonomy in electric traffic, the more powerful battery of plug-in hybrids also entails some disadvantages. A higher-capacity battery weighs more, which increases the total weight of the vehicle by 200 to 300 kg. "They can be more expensive than non-rechargeable ones," says Stellantis, who concludes: "in short, the conventional hybrid would be the most interesting option if your urban journeys are limited and if you use the vehicle mainly on the road."

There is another factor that counts. Unlike gasoline or diesel engines, which in new cars have a C label from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), in the case of non-plug-in hybrids the label is ECO, much more favorable, therefore, in the low emission zones (LEZ) that many cities, such as Barcelona, are already applying. However, to obtain unrestricted access to these ZBE and enjoy discounts – for example, on parking and highways – the pure electric and the plug-in hybrid win, since they have a zero-emission label.

The data from the Spanish manufacturers' association, Anfac, clearly show that Spaniards prefer the non-plug-in hybrid. This technology closed 2024 as the first on the market, with a share of 32.29%, ahead of gasoline, diesel and the different forms of electrified cars (plug-in hybrids and pure electric). And not only that, but it is the technology that grew the most, 28.20%, when pure electric only increased by 4.21% and plug-in hybrids even registered a drop in sales, of almost 5%.

A key factor in this commitment to non-plug-in hybrids over plug-in hybrids is the publicly accessible charging infrastructure. That is why the director general of Anfac, José López-Tafall, is calling for aid for buyers of electrified cars. And, in addition, he indicates that it is necessary to commit to developing the charging infrastructure. "We must redouble efforts, both from public entities and from the private sector, to boost demand and the installation of the electrical infrastructure," says the director. López-Tafall believes that "it is urgent that efforts be focused on ensuring that the majority of the charging points already installed are operational as soon as possible and, very especially, that they are properly signposted on the roads."

Growth in 2025

In fact, if 2024 was the year in which non-plug-in hybrids skyrocketed and became the number one technology in sales, the first two months of 2025 have consolidated this trend. Sales of cars using this technology have grown by 23% in the first two months and their market share has consolidated its leadership, with 37.27%. The gap with respect to gasoline cars has increased, as the latter have experienced a 9.3% drop in sales and are now only 25.1% of the total. Diesel, with a drop in sales of almost 10%, barely accounts for 21% of the market. However, electrified cars have risen in the first two months (pure electric cars 49.14% and plug-in hybrids 18.43%), but between the two electrified technologies they barely account for 10.29% of sales, well below plug-in hybrids.

For the director general of Anfac, it is necessary to "raise our share of pure electric cars from 5.6% to 10%" and, in this sense, he points out that, if the recovery of aid for the purchase of electric cars is delayed, which declined when the so-called decree was not approved in Congress, they may be recovered during the rest of the year. A factor that may also contribute to companies in the sector not promoting the sale of electrified cars as much is Brussels' decision to postpone the average emission limits for cars sold by manufacturers in the European Union.