The Ministry of Industry has just unveiled the roadmap for the new Auto+ Programme, the financial lifeline the Government is offering to those who want to swap their petrol car for an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2026. With €400 million in budget and completely renewed rules of play, this initiative closes the curtain on the historic MOVES plan and opens a new era of more selective and demanding incentives.

The "EEE Formula": your passport to maximum aid

According to abc.es, accessing one hundred per cent of the aid is not automatic. The Ministry has established the so-called "EEE Formula": Electric, Economic and European. Only those meeting this triple condition will obtain the full subsidy.

The electric criterion provides 50% of the aid if you opt for a pure electric vehicle or fuel cell car. If you prefer a plug-in hybrid or extended-range electric, that percentage automatically drops by half. The economic pillar grants another 25% of the incentive as long as the car costs less than €35,000 before taxes. Between €35,000 and €45,000, that tier drops to 15%, reducing the final subsidy. Any car exceeding €45,000 is excluded from the plan.

How much money will you receive according to your vehicle type?

Maximum amounts vary depending on the category and buyer profile:

• Cars for private individuals: up to €4,500
• Self-employed and small businesses (up to 10 employees): up to €6,000
• Light vans: between €5,000 and €7,500
• Electric motorcycles: up to €1,100
• Quadricycles: up to €1,500

Furthermore, dealers are obliged to apply a minimum commercial discount of €1,000 on cars and vans. Every vehicle must mandatorily carry the ZERO label from the General Traffic Directorate.

When does it start and who can access it?

The aid is retroactive for transactions finalised from 1 January 2026 onwards, whether through direct purchase, leasing or rental. The catalogue includes both new models registered for the first time and near-new vehicles purchased from dealers whose first registration in Spain is after 1 January 2025.

The programme covers cars of up to nine seats, vans or light lorries of up to 3.5 tonnes, motorcycles of certain power and range, and light and heavy quadricycles. The plan will be developed in direct coordination with the Autonomous Communities, meaning that procedures and conditions may vary depending on the region.

A change of paradigm: farewell to blanket aid, welcome to selectivity

The new Auto+ represents a strategic shift compared to previous incentive schemes. Being electric is no longer enough: now the vehicle's cost, where the battery comes from and whether it is manufactured in Europe matter. The Government explicitly rewards European production and batteries manufactured in the European Union, a clear bet to strengthen the continental industrial fabric against external competition.

Framed within the Auto 2030 Plan, this programme replaces the historic MOVES and seeks to simultaneously boost domestic demand for sustainable mobility and consolidate the position of the Spanish and European sector. The question now is whether €400 million will be enough to truly accelerate the electric transition in a vehicle fleet that still views electrified cars with caution.