1 Million Electric Cars on Spain’s Roads by 2014

[Ichingcarpenter]

Once again boosting their reputation as a country intent on helping the environment, Spain has announced that they intend to put 1 million electric cars on their roads by 2014. This will be part o fthe Zapatero government’s plan to reduce their use of energy and increase the countries overall energy efficiency.

Spain’s minister of industry, business and tourism Miguel Sebastian said Tuesday that the plan should gain approval from Spain’s Council of Ministers on Friday, and should then be carried out this year and on through to 2011.


"Electric vehicles are the future and the driver of the industrial revolution," Sebastian said in testimony to a congressional panel. "Every time we ease off the accelerator, we boost national income and employment."

The plan will cost some 245 million euros, and is made up of a total of 31 separate measures. In enacting this plan though, Spain is set to save between 5.8 and 6.4 million tons of oil over the three-year period, this according to industry estimates.

http://gas2.org/2008/07/30/1-million-electric-cars-on-spains-roads-by-2014/

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. As long as they get their charge from a clean source, that rocks

[JohnWxy]

2. interesting but not something for an expressway or even over 25 mph.

[tinrobot]

4. That's a Smart EV

It actually has a top speed of about 70mph and a range of about 70 miles.

Perfect city car, if you ask me.

[JohnWxy]

6. sure, for city driving, it'll work.

[tinrobot]

7. Almost all driving is city driving.

So it will work for most people.

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. That just an example of what is available now which is the Mercedes SmartED

It has a top speed of 60 mph and a range of up to 70 miles between charges. Smart says it can "achieve the equivalent of around 300 mpg." It doesn't mean Spain will buy that car.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=128047

[jpak]

3. and Spain is investing heavily in solar and wind to power these vehicles...

:thumbsup:

[DCKit]

8. "The plan will cost some 245 million euros..."

But, strangely, no mention of the jobs and revenue that will be created by putting electric cars on the road. Obviously, they're just going to fall out of the sky or magically appear in people's garages one morning so any benefit from manufacturing can be ignored.

And, yes, Spain is a leader in solar and wind energy. They can do this and it will, in turn, spur even more investment in renewables. It's the polar opposite of what the Republics would like to do to U.S..

[Nederland]

9. Doing the math

If they plan to put one million cars on the road, and plan to spend 245 million euros to do it, that's a subsidy of only 245 euros per car. With the Smart EV costing about 16,000 euros, how exactly is this going to work?

[Indenturedebtor]

11. Hrmmmmm good question ;) n/t

[NNadir]

10. California promised to put 10% ZEV's in showrooms by 2003.

It's bullshit and wishful thinking.

They won't have the electricity for it either, unless they get it from France, and right now France is exporting as much electricity as it can.