This Tuesday the twenty-fourth edition of the Valencia Automobile Fair closed its doors with an attendance figure 10% higher than last year's edition, with more interest from buyers in electric cars, a trend that runs parallel to the figures known during the fair on the impact of electric mobility in the Valencian Community. According to data from the National Association of Vehicle Sellers (GANVAM), registrations of pure electric cars have increased by 54.9% so far this year, reaching 2,289 units; above the national average, which rises 39.8%, with a total of 24,387 units.
By provinces, Alicante is the one that has accumulated the greatest growth so far this year. Specifically, registrations of pure electric cars rose at a rate of 73.8%, with a total of 937 units. It is followed by Valencia, which, with an increase of 48.1% so far this year, has reached 1,133 units registered up to October. Castellón, for its part, although it is the one with the least weight with a volume of 219 registrations, also registered an upward trend, with a rise of 25.9%.
GANVAM's forecasts suggest that the Valencian market as a whole will close with an approximate drop of 2% (some 72,300 units) as a consequence, mainly, of the impact on the offer of the tensions in the supply chain, and thus the registrations of electric They will maintain the upward trend with an increase of 44%, approaching 2,945 units.
From the Valencian Electric Vehicle Association (AVVE), its president Paloma López explains that "there is greater interest in the energy crisis and, at the legislative level, the new regulations are generating greater interest and demand, but this is accompanied by great uncertainty ". López assures that although the demand is growing, "it is not at the rate that it should go, since we are at the tail of sales of electric vehicles in Europe, and in Valencia it is slower than in other communities such as Madrid or Barcelona, although it is evolving positively”.
One of the key points, explain those involved, is the lack of public charging points. Paloma López points out that "at the level of charging infrastructure, we are below what we need, but although the public network is necessary, 80% of the user recharges at home, so what he needs is the one with the electric car. a garage. The use is more due to a mental block ”, maintains the president of AVVE. "Not everyone has an electric vehicle user profile because if you don't have a garage space as of today that is essential," she adds.
The person in charge in the Valencian Community of the Association of Electric Vehicle Users (AUVE), Santiago Miralles, agrees with this criticism of the shortage of charging points. The entity works "selflessly" to encourage users to make the change in the use of combustion vehicles to electric, with nearly 600 members in the Valencian Community.
“We ask for more charging points, it is the workhorse. And we need them to be interoperable, not because I'm from another company and I can't charge the car,” he explains. Another of the demands of is that the aid "does not take two years to arrive and that it allows, for example, to eliminate VAT at the time of purchase," adds the Valencian manager of AUVE.
The public charging network has been growing in recent years. According to the Electromaps application, which maps the available stations, Barcelona and Madrid lead, while there are 643 in Valencia; 624 in Alicante and another 126 points in Castellón.
In the city of Valencia, for example, the City Council has installed three fast charging points on the surface that are located near the Mercado del Cabanyal; another on Eugenia Viñes street; and another on Séquia de la Cadena street. Each charging point has two parking spaces for the vehicles, one for charging and the other for waiting time.
In addition, there are three other similar points in execution and a total of seven pending execution. To them are added those that are in parking lots or establishments and the future 176 that the consistory announced in May that will be distributed in 88 columns located in the different municipal markets and shopping centers.
