Europe wants to eliminate gasoline cars by 2035. The reality is that today in Spain half of the cars are more than 15 years old

Europe is clear that electrification is the only option for the future of the automotive industry and is doing everything possible to discourage the use of older cars. However, the vehicle fleet in Europe is growing at a rapid pace. Spain is older than ever.

The average age of our cars is already over 14 years old and more than half of those circulating in our country have more than 15 yearsThe trend also indicates that this situation, far from changing, will worsen over the next few years.

We have increasingly older cars and many without DGT labels

Neither the exchange of cards in the European Parliament nor the reality check that electric mobility has been undergoing for a few months are enough to change Europe’s mind. The decision remains firm and in 2035 the sale of new cars and vans with combustion engines will be banned in the European Union, with the exception of eFuels.

Long before that date arrives, traffic restrictions for combustion vehicles are being applied in more and more cities. In some, such as Madrid, you can no longer drive without a DGT sticker throughout the entire municipal area, not just within the M-30, regardless of whether the car is in perfect condition and has passed the MOT.

From the administrations, both at European and national (and local) level, everything is focused on electrifying the vehicle fleet and, in passing, banning the circulation of older ones. But Europe is moving at a speed and In Spain we go at our own pace: More than half of our cars are more than 15 years old.

For years, the average age of the car fleet in Spain has not stopped growing and, According to ANFACin 2023 it increased again and already reaches 14.2 years old. It is therefore one of the oldest fleets in Europe, where the average age is 12.3 years. In 2008, the average age of the passenger car fleet in Spain was 8.4 years.

There are more than 30 million vehicles on the road in our country, and nearly half of them are 15 years old or older. And it doesn’t seem like the situation is going to change, quite the opposite, because in 2023, for every new passenger car registered, nearly 1.3 passenger cars older than 10 years will have been sold.

If we look at the classification by environmental labels29.4% of the passenger cars that circulated in Spain in 2023 did not have a DGT badge. 29.8% had the B label, 35.1% had the B label, 4.5% had the ECO label and only 1.2% had the CERO badge, according to Ideauto based on DGT fleet data.

With this scenario, which means that almost a third of the cars circulating in Spain cannot move through some cities, such as Madrid, Europe intends that In 2035, let’s only buy electric carsAnd it’s not that people don’t want to buy new cars, electric or otherwise, it’s more that they can’t. In most cases.

Cars are more expensive than ever and the cheap car is dead

If we extend the life of our cars it is because it is frankly difficult to change them, more than ever. economic situation It doesn’t help because purchasing power is the same or lower, taking inflation into account, but cars are much more expensive than before, both new and used. According to the OCU, new cars are much more expensive than before. have risen more than 40% in five yearsan increase that is well above the official CPI figure accumulated over all this time.

In addition, the cheap car is dead, with not even ultra-basic options that are reasonably affordable. This is partly due to European regulations that require manufacturers to equip all their production cars with a range of driver assistance systems (ADAS), as well as increasingly strict emissions regulations that brands also have to comply with, with the cost that this entails and which is reflected in the price of the vehicles.

It should also be noted that cars no longer age as they used to and that someone who does not drive too many kilometres is not willing to change their 15 or 20 year old car that is in perfect condition and still fully operational for a new one, simply because the authorities say that it pollutes more.

Let me explain: in 2005, a 15-year-old car, such as a Renault 4L registered in 1990 or a Citroën AX from the same year, were old cars and were outdated in every way compared to new cars of that time, such as a Renault Clio or a Citroën C3.

In those 15 years, cars evolved a lot: they moved better, were more comfortable, much safer, consumed less fuel and, generally, the economy allowed the jump from old to new. It made sense make that change.

Now, virtually any car from 2009 is still perfectly valid for daily use and fully functional. There is a 15-year difference, as in the example above, but cars have not evolved that much (in some cases they have even taken steps backwards).

An Audi A3, an Opel Insignia, a Volvo XC60 or a SEAT Ibiza, all from 2009, are still fully functional, safe and efficient cars in every sense. They don’t have as many screens as today’s and their ADAS are more basic, but there are also many people for whom the latter is a positive thing. The truth is that driving without the insufferable beeping of the ISA system is appreciated (depending on the car, also without the lane keeping system, with buttons to use basic functions and without so many beeps that only serve to distract).

We also have heavier cars, with tighter engines and all kinds of anti-pollution systems. All of this translates into worse performance and higher consumptionThat’s why many drivers prefer to keep their old one when they try a new car.

This is especially the case with diesel cars sold between 2001 and 2008, approximately, without DPF; these cars tend to move very well and consume very little, and they are also very tough. Regardless of the pollution they produce, compared to an equivalent car today, they are faster and more economical. It is perfectly understandable that if one of these cars is still running well, its owner does not want to change it. Although the authorities do not think the same.

We don’t care about maintenance as we should

However, the fact that the national vehicle fleet has aged so much has its drawbacks. Beyond the fact that it is not ideal from a sustainability point of view, it must be taken into account that many drivers do not maintain their cars as they should.

In Spain, vehicles are in increasingly worse condition and many do not even pass the MOT, both due to absenteeism and because they are not in a condition to pass the inspection. According to data from AECA-ITV, in 2022, 81.4% of cars passed the MOT on the first inspection and 34% of vehicles that should have passed the MOT did not do so.

Logically, whether an old car remains fully operational depends on the maintenance It is something that is not taken into account in Spain. Not only do you have to change the oil and filters when they are due, you also have to worry about the wheels, brakes and suspension and, unfortunately, many drivers completely ignore this issue.

The economic situation also has a lot to do with this, but it should not be an excuse. Safety cannot be cut short and you only have to see the number of cars you see on the street with flat or worn tyres, spewing clouds of black smoke or with shock absorbers in a pitiful state.

And if people don’t have the money to maintain their car (or spending it on that is not their priority), they don’t have the money to buy a new one either. And we must not overlook the fact that uncertainty It also doesn’t help to decide how to face such a high expense as buying a new car.

Many of those who have money to buy a new car do not do so because fear; they simply do not know what type of car to buy because they do not know how the traffic restrictions will affect them in the short and medium term.

There are those who need a diesel because they drive a lot of miles a year and, as of today, there is still no better option than diesel for these cases, but they don’t dare buy one because this type of mechanics has been demonized over the last few years.

What happens in some of these cases? That driver who is going to do thousands of kilometres every month buys a micro-hybrid petrol car with an ECO label or a plug-in hybrid and using the car ends up being unsustainable because of the consumption.

And no. The solution is not the electric caror at least it is not the only one. This technology, right now, does not adapt to the needs of many drivers (mind you, it does to those of many others), either because electric cars are more expensive, because their autonomy is insufficient or simply because they do not have anywhere to charge them. There are also those who switch to electric cars and return to gasoline, and there are many who regret it.

Of course, electric cars are evolving every day, but the transition to full electrification cannot be done overnight, without intermediate steps and by obligation. The worst of all is that the automobile industry is crucial for Europe and is sinking into crisis while China overtakes us from the right.