"You can go out and win with the electric car, we are capable." It is the vision that Wayne Griffiths, CEO, of Seat has. But the time is now and for this he demands a greater investment effort from the governments, both central and from the autonomous communities. An effort in two directions: on the one hand, to promote the transition of the automobile industry towards electrification; and, on the other, to help families and companies to buy this type of vehicle.
Griffiths has painted this Thursday in Madrid a pessimistic picture if the investments do not arrive. “There is no plan B”, she warned during a breakfast organized by the Spanish confederation of managers and executives (Cede). "In 2035 there will be no electric cars if we don't already start to electrify the car", he has exposed to demand from the national authorities "pragmatic" plans in the short and medium term. "If Spain does not sign up now, other countries will," he added.
Seat's CEO has been critical of the Perte's initial distribution of the electric and connected vehicle. His car firm has received 397 million, far from his initial plans. "I'm a bit surprised," he insisted, repeating that the aid is not enough and that other formulas are being sought. “If the automobile industry is going to be transformed, these investments must be made and they must be made now”, he stated. Griffiths has also explained that the Volkswagen and Seat group is planning an investment of 10,000 million to develop and manufacture electric cars in Spain, an item for which he demands a greater public effort.
In 2025, the Seat factory plans to dedicate one hundred percent to the electric vehicle. "This is the day after tomorrow," he warned, asking the authorities to "jump into the pool now." Seat negotiates with the Government these other aid formulas. Regarding the Sagunt battery factory, Griffiths has not revealed what Volkswagen will do on the eve of the ten-day deadline to make a decision.
The part of individuals is also important for Seat. Spain is at the bottom of Europe in sales, Griffiths has remarked, and this "is a shame". Barely 10% of the vehicles sold are one hundred percent electric. In Portugal, for example, without an industrial fabric like the Spanish, 20% of these vehicles are being sold, the manager has given as an example.
How to advance in this? With “pragmatic programs”. "We must give permanent incentives and they are not so complicated" to achieve, the head of Seat has claimed. The company, Griffiths said, sent a series of letters to different ministries last summer with tax proposals for families, for company cars, to improve Moves plans... "There are proposals and a budget is needed," he summarized.
For the top manager of Seat, a small electric vehicle for the city should be around 20,000 euros. He has highlighted that the objective is to make "accessible cars" to promote the "democratization of the vehicle".
Infrastructure is another problem pending resolution. "How many recharging points will there be in my town or in my city in the coming years?" asked the CEO of the Spanish firm.
