Spain's electric car scheme sells just 16 vehicles

Date: 10/8/2010

Only 16 electric cars have been sold in Spain since the beginning of this year, recently released figures have revealed.

The off-target statistics come in spite of government subsidies of 20 per cent or up to €6,000 (£4,990) on each car, according to the Guardian.

And the Regulacion Eolica con Vehiculos Electricos (Wind Power and Electric Vehicles) project aimed to have 2,000 vehicles on the road by the end of 2010, with the number projected to rise to 20,000 next year.

In spite of this, the government-backed group remained defiant.

"The figures are similar to what happened in their day to personal computers or mobile phones. The first models are expensive and with few extras and sales are slow," the representatives said.

Last month, the coalition government announced Britons will receive a subsidy of 25 per cent and up to £5,000 if they buy an electric car from January next year.

Posted by Nick Anderson