The elimination of taxes on eco-efficient cars puts the Islands at the forefront of the country - La Provincia

The Spanish Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Trucks (Anfac) applauds the approval by theParliament of the Canary Islandsofthe law that leaves the Indirect General Tax (IGIC) at 0% in the purchase of hybrid, electric and bicycle vehicles. The goal is that in 2030 50% of the cars that circulate on the roads of the Islands are eco-efficient.

During the processing yesterday of the proposed law promoted by CC, PP and ASG and supported byPSOEand NC were introduced improvements in the initial text that will allow, for example, to apply thezero type to liquefied gas for public and professional transportor that the rental companies can not only purchase electric vehicles without IGIC, but when they are going to market them, they can be taxed at the 0% rate in the case of electric vehicles and 6.5% in hybrids.

The manufacturers stress that thismeasure, a pioneer in Spain,it will serve as an incentive for the massive introduction of these vehicles in the mobile fleet, in addition to serving as a model for the rest of the country. Anfac considers the proposal of the Canary Islands very relevant, since it materializes, "through positive and non-prohibitionist strategies", necessary measures to increase the market share of the alternative vehicle that aligns with the CO2 emissions targets set by Europe.

Also the Federation of Associations of Automotive Dealers (Faconauto) celebrates the Canarian standard because this type of energy needs positive discrimination at this time, so it believes that it should be taken into account by other administrations to make them more affordable.

The norm also contemplates the elimination of the tax when the owner decides to install an eco-efficient feeding system in vehicles that use gasoline or diesel, so that they can transform it into a hybrid.

TheGovernment of the Canary Islandshighlights the need to promote greater sustainability of mobility habits and, above all, to promote a less polluting mobile fleet. In fact, in the archipelago, just over one in every two inhabitants has a car. There are 5.38 passenger cars for every 10 people.

In total, the mobile fleet of the Islands was formed, at the end of 2017, by 1.6 million vehicles, a figure that includes passenger cars, SUVs, vans, trucks of up to 3.5 tons, trucks of more than 3, 5 tons, buses, motorcycles and mopeds.

55% of that more than 1.6 million vehicles are more than twelve years old, with all the implications it has for the environment and for the health of people, since they are highly polluting.

In the specific case of cars, 99.8% use fossil fuels as a source of energy: 78.4% use gasoline and 21.4% use diesel. Only 0.2% of the Canarian mobile fleet is electric.

With this law, Canarias equi-for its tax regulations to that of Norway, where the purchase of electric vehicles is exempt fromVAT. Not even Holland, where sustainable vehicles account for 10% of the total, has completely eliminated taxes on purchases.