Ce que vous devez retenir
- For EV owners, this creates a genuine risk of being stranded without power – a scenario that makes many potential buyers hesitant to make the switch to electric.
- The government has established a maximum timeframe of 80 days for companies to connect charging points to the grid and make them fully operational.
- This move represents an important step toward making electric vehicles a more practical option for Spanish drivers – and offers a potential model for other countries facing similar charging reliability issues in their transition to electric mobility.
Electric vehicle drivers face a frustrating reality across Spain – many charging stations simply don’t work. The Spanish government has now taken a firm stance, giving electric companies just 80 days to fix their non-functional chargers.
What started as complaints about the scarcity of charging infrastructure has evolved into a more complex problem. According to recent data, over 20% of public charging points throughout Spain are completely non-operational. This situation directly impacts EV owners and creates a significant barrier to electric vehicle adoption in the country.
The current state of charging infrastructure
When EV drivers pull up to charging stations hoping to refill their batteries, many are greeted with the unpleasant surprise of non-working equipment. This isn’t just bad luck – it’s a widespread issue that requires immediate attention from the companies responsible for these charging points.
Data published by the automotive association Anfac reveals that in the first quarter of this year, Spain had 46,358 functional public charging points, while a whopping 13,172 were out of service. This means there’s roughly a 1-in-5 chance that the charger you’re driving to won’t be operational when you arrive.
These non-functional chargers are either damaged, malfunctioning, or simply not connected to the electrical grid. For EV owners, this creates a genuine risk of being stranded without power – a scenario that makes many potential buyers hesitant to make the switch to electric.
(I’ve experienced this myself – nothing kills your enthusiasm for EV ownership like circling through three different charging stations only to find none of them working properly!)
Government intervention with strict deadlines
Recognizing the severity of this problem, Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge has stepped in with firm deadlines for electric companies. The government has established a maximum timeframe of 80 days for companies to connect charging points to the grid and make them fully operational.
This mandate has been published as part of a Royal Decree Law on urgent measures to strengthen the electrical system. The timeline varies based on the complexity of work required:
– 5 days: For chargers that only need to be connected to the distribution network with no additional cabling work
– 30 days: For installations requiring cable extensions
– 60 days: When construction of a transformation center is necessary
– 80 days: For cases requiring the construction of multiple transformation centers
Why the delays exist
Part of the problem stems from the authorization and permit processes companies must navigate to install and activate these charging stations. The varying timeframes acknowledge the different levels of complexity involved in getting chargers operational.
For American readers, this situation might sound familiar – while the U.S. has been expanding its charging network, reliability issues have been a persistent complaint among EV drivers across many states. The difference is that Spain’s government is now taking direct action with specific deadlines.
Having charging stations distributed throughout the country means little if they don’t provide the expected service. Once this problem is resolved, electric vehicle drivers should be able to travel with greater confidence, knowing that when they stop to recharge, the equipment will actually work.
This move represents an important step toward making electric vehicles a more practical option for Spanish drivers – and offers a potential model for other countries facing similar charging reliability issues in their transition to electric mobility.
