The Government of Spain last Friday approved incentives to stimulate the introduction of the electric vehicle, including direct subsidies for the purchase of such vehicles with a budget of €72 million (US$103 million) for 2011. EVs will be subsidized for up to 25% of the purchase price, before tax, to a maximum of €6,000 per vehicle (US$8,600). MORE

To celebrate the landmark figure, Nissan has created a series of animated stories, starting with Roberto San Jose, the first taxi driver in Spain to buy one of the fully ele[.]. MORE

However, only the eternal optimist could put a positive spin on Spain’s electric car sales results. Admittedly Spain has managed to sell 16 times as many electric cars as last year [.]. Tags: Electric cars The Green Piece incentive investment Sales Spain Tuesday 17 August 2010. The Green Piece Column Sometimes it can be debated as to whether the glass is half full or half empty. MORE

Ford Green cars Latest news Ford virtual factory green cars SpainIn an effort to cut costs and boost efficiency, Ford is to introduce a complete virtual factory that will simulate the production process on the assembly line. With thousands of components needed to construct a vehicle, it is believed that computer simulation will help with the testing of the vehicle build process without the need [.]. MORE

Spain has decided to extend its version of the scrappage scheme, to continue support for car industry. Tags: Green credentials C02 car buying extend fund incentive scheme scrappage Spain Spanish industry minister, Miguel Sebastian announced an extension of the Plan 200E scheme earlier this week, according to Costa News. Under the Spanish system, motorists can buy a new or used car up to five years old by scrapping a [.]. MORE

Renault, which already produces Mégane Hatchback, Mégane Estate, Modus and Grand Modus exclusively in Spain, has chosen to manufacture the future electric vehicle (EV) based on Twizy ZE Concept ( earlier post ) at Valladolid, 150 km north west of Madrid. MORE

Nissan officially started production of its second electric vehicle, the Nissan e-NV200 small van, at its assembly plant in Barcelona, Spain. MORE

Enel, Endesa and the Renault-Nissan Alliance signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at developing electric mobility across several geographical areas in Italy, Spain and Latin America. Joint evaluation for development of pilot projects in areas to be identified in Italy, Spain and Latin America. MORE

SEAT SpainSEAT has handed over three low carbon cars to the Spanish government as part of a six month trial. An all-electric adaptation of the Altea XL was delivered to Barcelona City Hall along with two Leon plug-in hybrids as the Spanish brand seeks to gather information and assess performance before venturing into the mass production [.]. MORE

Tags: Electric cars electricity fund grant production Spain subsidy MORE

Spanish electric car makers Quimera has successfully taken its All Electric GT prototype or a first test drive around the F1 circuit Alcañiz (Motorland), Spain. The multinational project management firm says its AEGT01 model is the most powerful EV in the world, achieving an impressive 0-60 mph in just over three seconds. With three electric [.]. Electric cars AEGT01 Frankfurt Motor Show performance Quimera Spanish MORE

A Spanish seaside resort near Cadiz has become the home of the first plant in the world to convert sewage into algae fuel. The new EU-backed algae biofuel demonstration project, called All-Gas, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using wastewater to cultivate algae, from which oil can be extr[.]. MORE

Tags: Electric cars grant hybrids Spain MORE

Acciona and the Renault-Nissan Alliance signed an agreement to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in Spain. According to the terms of the agreement, Acciona will bring its capacity to develop an intelligent charging network, provide associated services and supply electricity produced from renewable sources. This implementation will be done in coordination with the forecasts of the Renault-Nissan Alliance for the commercialization of electric vehicles. MORE

Technology specialists Siemens and infrastructure experts FCC have joined forces to develop and implement electric vehicles in Spain in a bid for the companies to become leaders in electric vehicles. Electric cars Latest news charging points FCC Siemens SpainSiemens will act as a technology partner and provide the technology related to charging systems and FCC will be in charge of building the charging [.]. MORE

Lucas Ordóñez, a 28 year old from Spain won the the inaugural Nissan PlayStation GT Academy competition in 2008 and has gone on to become one of the sta[.]. MORE

Volkswagen Group member SEAT, Ficosa and Sanyo have signed an agreement to promote the development of batteries for electric vehicles in Spain and Portugal. Sanyo will develop the cells and the battery pack and make the cells and Ficosa will address the assembly process of the batteries in Viladecavalls facilities (Barcelona) to provide for the SEAT and Volkswagen factories in Spain and Portugal. MORE

Electric cars Green cars Mitsubishi electric cars electric vehicle infrastructure green cars Hitachi Mitsubishi Corporation SpainSpainhas been slow to embrace electric cars – but that may all change thanks to a new Smart Community System Demonstration Project, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Corporation and Hitachi. The project aims to demonstrate and verify various businesses that are needed to establish an electric vehicle transportation infrastructure inSpain. MORE

The acquisition expands the Kapsch portfolio and strengthens its market position in intelligent transportation systems, especially in the growth markets of Spain, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. The EcoTrafix system is running mainly in Northern and Southern America as well as in Spain. Kapsch TrafficCom AG has acquired Schneider Electric’s Transportation Business. MORE

One of those countries is Spain, and it's about to get a whole lot more Leaf taxis. Green Europe Nissan Leaf Taxi Spain plug-in cars taxiThe Nissan Leaf is not only the world's best-selling electric car, but also probably the world's most popular electric taxi. Leaf taxis operate in several European countries, enduring the same demanding conditions as gasoline, diesel, and hybrid cabs. DON'T MISS. MORE

A new car club is to launch in Spain which will allow motorists to rent a Nissan LEAF electric supermini by the hour. MORE

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties, Nissan and Endesa have agreed to advance the technical progress and deployment of Direct Current (DC) quick charging technology throughout Spain. The network will be compatible with the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle, which is expected to go on sale in Spain in June 2011. Nissan Motor Co., and Endesa, Spain’s largest electricity supply company, are developing a Quick Charging network for electric vehicles. MORE

ZEM2ALL was a joint initiative between Spain and Japan, supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), and Malaga City Council. MORE

Sales of electric vehicles in Spain are low, reports El Mundo: 314 units were sold during the first eleven months of the year, representing 0.04% of the total 741,600 units sold during that time. For the month of November alone, sales stood at 45 units, or 0.07% of the market. Fleets or public entities are the largest buyers of EVs, according to the report. Madrid has the most electric vehicles registered at 149 units, followed by Catalonia with 56. MORE

Think signed an MOU for 550 units for Spain. Spain’s Industry Ministry is supporting the introduction of EVs in Spain, and is aiming to install electric car infrastructure in several cities, as well as subsidizing the government, municipal and private purchase of smaller EV fleets. NK city EVs, five of the vehicles will be delivered to Spain this summer for a demonstration program. Click to enlarge. MORE

and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) as contractors for the Smart Community System Demonstration Project in Spain, as the result of a feasibility study which was conducted from March through October 2011 by the three companies. The project, which is aligned with the Malaga Smartcity Project currently under way in Malaga, Spain, will demonstrate and verify various businesses necessary for establishing a transportation infrastructure for electric vehicles. MORE

SEAT electric car SpainSEAT has pushed forward its research into electric cars after handing over two fully electric Seat Altea XL Electric Ecomotive models to the Spanish government. Handed over at Madrid City Hall, the e-Altea XL cars will form part of the authority’s fleet until February 2013 as SEAT tries gather information and make assessments on plug-in [.]. MORE

Nissan announced yesterday that it would start building its e-NV 200 electric van in Spain next year The small van will be Nissan's second electric vehicle globally. It follows the Leaf compact electric hatchback, which went on sale in December 2010 as a 2011 model. First shown at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the e-NV200 uses essentially the MORE

Though Renault may be a French manufacturer, it can boast a number of roots in Spain where it already produces the Megane Hatchback, the Megane Estate, the Modus and the Grand Modus. The company also hopes to produce its future electric vehicle in Spain as close as possible to the sales market in order to simplify logistics. Tags: Electric cars Latest news Renault Renault Twizy ZE Concept Spain Valladolid MORE

General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroën announced that as part of their existing alliance agreement ( earlier post ), B-MPVs from both companies will be built in the GM España plant in Zaragoza. As previously announced, the Alliance is responsible for developing a next generation of B-segment MPVs based on a PSA Peugeot Citroën platform. This program is one of the three projects which were agreed upon and signed by both partners in December 2012. MORE

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, and GAS NATURAL FENOSA signed a strategic agreement to promote joint innovation projects and expand the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel in Spain. In Spain there are currently 50 public stations that supply natural gas, 27 of which belong to GAS NATURAL FENOSA. MORE

Electric cars Green cars Latest news Nissan electric cars green cars Nissan e-NV200 SpainThe Nissan e-NV200 (pictured) will go into production in Barcelona, according to media sources. Starting in 2013, Barcelona will be the sole producer of the electric vehicle which is based on the existing NV200 – a vehicle that is currently produced at the plant. It will be Nissan’s second all-electric vehicle, following on from the [.]. MORE

According to a report by El Mundo, sales of electric cars in Spain are low – with just 314 units sold during the first 11 months of the year. Electric cars Green cars Hybrid cars Latest news electric car sales hybrid car sales SpainIt seems the Spanish just can’t take to electric cars – but hybrid cars are finally catching on. That represents a weak 0.04 per cent of [.]. MORE

SEAT, a member of the Volkswagen Group, and Gas Natural Fenosa have signed a strategic agreement to develop and to promote the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the automotive field in Spain, in the coming years. Gas Natural Fenosa is a Spain-based natural gas utilities company with operations in more than 25 countries, 16 GW of installed power and a diversified mix of electricity generation. MORE

As we pointed out yesterday, sales of purely electric cars in the U.S. aren’t as high as many in the industry hoped they would be. In an attempt to get more customers, Nissan has lowered the lease prices of its 2012 Nissan Leaf SV and 2012 Nissan Leaf SL, while automakers in Europe have slashed electric car sticker prices by $11,000. To date MORE

Electric vehicles in Spain and Portugalare set to benefit from a new collaboration between Volkswagen Group member SEAT, Ficosa and Sanyo; which will focus on the development of batteries for the region. Electric cars Green cars Latest news SEAT electric car batteries Ficosa Portugal Sanyo Spain MORE

Having already established an electric vehicle testing programme in Austria, Think will continue its European expansion in Spain where it will deliver 550 City electric vehicles. A pre programme demonstration project that begins with five Think City vehicles will start in the early summer with the intention of gaining real time experience of running and operating electric cars in Spain. According to Richard Canny, CEO of Think, Spain is an important market. MORE

Izaro is based in Spain and its proposed GTE is a new sports Small companies developing hybrid and electric sports cars with Ferrari-rivaling performance may seem fairly common these days, and the latest entrant into this growing market segment--Izaro GTE--seems determined to follow in the footsteps of other fledgling green sports car start-ups. MORE

Audi will transfer production of the Audi A1 from Brussels to Martorell in Spain; in 2014, Audi Brussels produced 115,378 Audi A1 models. The Audi Q3, currently produced in Spain, will be built in Győr (Hungary) in the future. MORE

Spanish domestic waste collection and processing company Urbaser has taken delivery of the first 26 t hybrid truck fitted with a refuse collection body in Spain. The 320 hp (235 kW) 6x2*4 Premium Distribution Hybrys Tech can cut fuel consumption by as much as 20%. MORE

Fisker’s European expansion continues apace with the news that car dealer group Guarnieri will exclusively import and market all Fisker vehicles in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Guarnieri has dealerships and showrooms across the region, with a large and loyal customer base and a track-record of success with premium manufacturers including BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren. [.]. Fisker Europe Fisker Karma Sales MORE

The Government of Spain is aiming to stimulate the electric vehicle market by approving a number of incentives. Electric cars Green cars Latest news electric vehicles Spain Spain electric vehicle subsidiesAmong the efforts announces are direct subsidies for the purchase of the vehicles with a budget of €72million for 2011. Electric cars will be subsidised for up to 25 per cent of the purchase price before tax; [.]. MORE

We almost can’t believe this next story, but Renault is giving a free Twizy with every Laguna or Espace model it sells in Spain. The newly-launched electric quadricycle is a tasty little tempter designed to help boost vehicle sales in Spain’s flagging car market. Unfortunately that means that Renault has already ruled out the possibility [.]. Renault Renault Twizy Twizy ZE MORE