One step closer to the Spanish sustainable mobility

The Draft Bill establishes an ambitious framework that recognizes sustainable mobility as a fundamental right, promoting the creation of an environmentally friendly transport ecosystem that is efficient and inclusive. With a focus on universal accessibility and environmental sustainability, this Draft Bill is designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the transport industry and align our policies with national, European and global climate targets.

In addition to improving the electric charging infrastructure and promoting active mobility by encouraging healthy and environmentally friendly alternatives to the use of motorised vehicles, the Draft Bill has the following goal fulfilments:

• Investments in green infrastructure: The Draft Bill drives robust investment in green infrastructure, ranging from the expansion of electric vehicle charging networks to the modernisation of public transport systems. This approach is not only essential for environmental sustainability but also provides significant opportunities for construction, technology and engineering companies in relation with green projects.
• Consultancy and legal advice: New regulation will require a careful adaptation of regulatory frameworks and maximization of available incentives.
• Developing new business models: The promotion of mobility as a service (MaaS) and other technology-based models unveils vast field for innovative start-ups and companies. These may range from integrated transportation management platforms to car shared mobility solutions and micro-mobility systems. 
• Renewable energy and clean technology: With the drive towards the electrification of transport and the use of renewable energy, there is an increasing demand for clean energy solutions. This encompasses from the installation of solar panels and wind farms till the development of new batteries for electric vehicles and energy-efficient technologies.
• Promoting sustainable urban mobility: The Draft Bill encourages urban transformation to support active mobility and the use of safe and accessible public transport. 

Key Points of the Draft Bill

• Recognition of mobility as a fundamental right: This approach establishes mobility not only as a basic need but also as a right guaranteed by the State, which obliges all public administrations to ensure and facilitate universal access to sustainable transportation means. It transforms urban and rural planning, demanding mobility to be considered in all development projects and in the review of urban policies. This has implications for urban development and the need for infrastructure adaptation. 
• Promotion of electric vehicles and renewable energies: Incentives are established for the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the expansion of charging infrastructure, creating new opportunities for investments in clean energy, supporting research and development in renewable energy technologies applied to transportation. Implementation of tax incentives and subsidies for the purchase of EVs and the installation of charging infrastructure. Reducing social and economic inequality by better connecting underserved and marginalized areas.
• National Sustainable Mobility System: Integration of various public administrations for a more efficient and coherent management of transportation, through the creation of a coordinated framework that integrates the mobility policies of all public administrations, from local to national level, as well as the establishment of consultation and decision-making bodies such as the Sectoral Conference on Transportation and the Administrative Forum on Sustainable Mobility. 
• Impact on the energy market: All these measures will entail in the demand for renewable energy solutions and clean technologies. Increased adoption of electric vehicles, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions associated with the transportation industry, which will stimulate the economy through investments in new technologies and services, generating employment and fostering innovation.

A Comprehensive Commitment to Climate Action

Inter-administrative collaboration will be essential for implementing a citizen-centered transportation and mobility policy. The National Sustainable Mobility System stands as the axis of this cooperation, promoting a coordination forum among administrations and an advisory council to work with the industry and users. The integrated Mobility Data Space (EDIM) will play a crucial role in this scheme, providing the transparency and efficiency needed for informed decision-making. Real change comes from the informed and engaged participation of all citizens. Therefore, the Draft Bill emphasizes awareness raising and education on sustainable and safe mobility, and foresees the inclusion of training in this area with educational content on road safety and the use of different means of sustainable transport. 

Synergy with new European regulation

The European Union, in its effort to standardize and simplify the charging experience for electric vehicle users, has adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/1804, which ensures to end the current fragmentation of the market and represents a paradigm shift in interoperability and ease of use by stipulating that all new public access charging points must accept common electronic means of payment from April 2024. These developments simplify the EVs charging process by requiring charging points to accept universal electronic payments. With this change, any electric vehicle user will be able to perform one-off charging without the need for multiple applications or supplier-specific subscriptions.

The legislative challenges are to ensure that new operations and expansions comply with sustainable mobility standards, adapting to a highly regulated and sustainability-oriented market.

The regulation also implies that there will be no electric vehicle driver more than 60 km away from a charging point on the International Trans-European Network (TEN-T) road network, thus ensuring that charging infrastructure is not an obstacle to the adoption and use of electric vehicles. The number of public charging points has experienced robust growth in the first quarter of the year. The public charging infrastructure in Spain has seen exponential growth, with more than 1,850 charging points implemented, raising the total number to more than 32,000. This quantum leap not only increases the density of our network, but also reinforces confidence in accessible and convenient electric mobility for all users. This is a critical step towards an electric mobility network that can support a zero-emission future.

Should you wish to know more about the proposed regulation, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experts listed below or your usual contact at Osborne Clarke.