Index
What the Auto+ Programme is and what budget it has
How much money you can receive depending on the car you buy
Which cars qualify for the programme
What the European criterion means and why it matters
How to apply for the subsidy
Why it makes sense to sell your current car before applying for subsidies
Dealcar: sell your current car and get your electric car with more money
FAQs
What the Auto+ Programme is and what budget it has
On 21 July 2026, the Council of Ministers approved the Auto+ Programme, the Government's new subsidy plan to promote the purchase of electric vehicles in Spain. The programme has a budget of 400 million euros for 2026, continues the previous MOVES programme and adds a new requirement: vehicles must be manufactured in the European Union to access the full subsidies.
The programme is named Auto+ precisely because of the three criteria that determine the amount of the subsidy: Electric, Economic and European (EEE). The more criteria the car meets, the more money you receive. Management is carried out in coordination with the autonomous communities, just like the previous MOVES programmes.
The subsidies apply to purchases made from 1 January 2026, although the official call is published once the programme becomes operational. If you bought an electric car this year before the approval, you can still apply for them.
How much money you can receive depending on the car you buy
The maximum subsidy for a passenger car (M1 category) is 4,500 euros if you are an individual. If you are self-employed or a business with up to 10 employees, the maximum rises to 6,000 euros.
But that maximum is not received all at once: it is calculated by adding three percentages of the maximum subsidy according to the EEE criteria met by the car.
Electric Criterion (E): the car must strictly have a ZERO label. If it is a pure electric vehicle (BEV or fuel cell), it adds 50% of the maximum subsidy. If it is an extended-range electric or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), it adds 25%.
Economic Criterion (E): for passenger cars up to 35,000 euros, it adds 25% of the maximum subsidy. For passenger cars between 35,001 and 45,000 euros, it adds 15%. Cars exceeding 45,000 euros are excluded from the programme.
European Criterion (E): if the car is assembled and completed in a EU industrial facility, it adds 15% of the maximum subsidy. If, in addition, part of the battery is manufactured in the EU, it adds an extra 10%.
A concrete example to understand this: if you buy a pure electric car manufactured in Europe with a price of 30,000 euros, the sum of criteria is 50% + 25% + 15% + 10% = 100% of the maximum, meaning 4,500 euros. To this, you must add the minimum discount of 1,000 euros that sales outlets are obliged to offer additionally. In total, a 5,500-euro reduction on the invoice price.
If the car is a plug-in hybrid manufactured in Europe with a price of 30,000 euros: 25% + 25% + 25% = 75% of the maximum, which is 3,375 euros in subsidies plus the mandatory 1,000-euro discount from the dealership.
For vans and light trucks (N1), the maximum subsidy is 5,000 euros for individuals and 7,500 euros for the self-employed and businesses with up to 10 employees.
Which cars qualify for the programme
To qualify for the Auto+ Programme, the vehicle must meet two minimum requirements without exception: have a DGT ZERO label and not exceed the established price limits.
The price limit for passenger cars (M1) is 45,000 euros excluding taxes, after commercial discounts. The reference price taken is the invoice price, not the list RRP.
New vehicles registered for the first time in the buyer's name can qualify for the programme, as well as cars with a first registration in Spain from 1 January 2025 that are purchased through a dealership or sales outlet of the manufacturer group.
The market context helps to understand the opportunity: according to the July 2026 New Vehicle Barometer by coches.com and GANVAM, the average price of an electric car at a dealership has fallen by 6,862 euros over the last year, standing at an average of 45,335 euros with a 15.43% discount on the RRP. In segment A (city cars), the average price is already at 23,080 euros. Combining this market discount with the Auto+ Programme subsidies, the actual cost of getting an electric car is significantly lower than a year ago.
If your current car does not have an environmental badge or has a B badge, the expanding Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are already putting downward pressure on its value. The article on selling a car without a DGT label explains the real impact on the price.
What the European criterion means and why it matters
The European criterion is the major novelty of the Auto+ Programme compared to previous MOVES programmes. Its introduction is a response to pressure from the European automotive industry against Chinese manufacturers, who have gained market share in Spain and Europe with cheaper electric vehicles.
A car manufactured in China with a ZERO label can access basic subsidies (electric criterion + economic criterion), but it does not add the percentages of the European criterion (15% + an additional 10% if the battery is also European). In practice, a Chinese BEV of 30,000 euros receives 50% + 25% = 75% of the maximum, which is 3,375 euros. The same car manufactured in Europe with a European battery receives 4,500 euros, 1,125 euros more.
For the buyer, this means that before deciding on a specific model, it is advisable to check where it is manufactured. European brands such as Renault, Stellantis (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel), Volkswagen Group (VW, Seat, Cupra, Audi, Skoda), BMW, Mercedes or Volvo have most of their production in EU plants. Some models from Japanese or Korean brands are also manufactured in Europe. Chinese manufacturers like BYD, MG, Xpeng or Leapmotor mainly produce in China, although some are setting up or plan to set up plants in Europe.
The dealership has the obligation to inform about the country of manufacture of the vehicle to correctly process the subsidy.
How to apply for the subsidy
The process is managed through the dealership or sales outlet, which acts as an intermediary in the administration. You do not have to apply for the subsidy on your own with the administration: the dealership advances the subsidy in the price and then recovers it from the corresponding autonomous community.
To do this, the dealership must be authorised to market vehicles via sale or leasing and operate in Spanish territory. When you go to buy, specifically ask for the Auto+ Programme subsidies to be applied and verify that the dealership has active processing.
The beneficiaries are individuals and companies with legal personality. Subsidies are limited to 1 vehicle per individual beneficiary. Self-employed individuals can receive subsidies for up to 3 vehicles, and companies for up to 10.
The Auto+ Programme subsidies are not compatible with MOVES FLOTAS PLUS.
Why it makes sense to sell your current car before applying for subsidies
If you own a car and are thinking about taking the step towards electric, the order in which you manage the operation directly affects how much money you have available and the conditions you can negotiate.
To maximise what you get for your current car, receiving multiple offers from professional buyers always gives a better result than negotiating with a single buyer.
The logic is simple: if you sell your current car first, you arrive at the dealership with actual cash in hand. This gives you more room to negotiate the price of the electric car and to decide whether to finance or pay part in cash. If you arrive at the dealership without having sold, you depend on what they offer you for the trade-in or on getting approved for financing for the total amount.
Before accepting the trade-in offered by the electric car dealership, it is advisable to understand well how that process works so as not to leave money on the table.
The other factor is time. Subsidies programmes have a limited budget: 400 million euros run out. The sooner you have the transaction ready, the more chances there are that the subsidies will still be active when you close the purchase.
Knowing how much your current car is worth before starting the process is the first step in calculating how much money you actually have available for the trade.
Dealcar: sell your current car and get your electric car with more money
With Dealcar, your current car reaches more than 1,000 verified professional dealerships that compete for it. The process is online, collection is from your home and payment occurs before the car changes hands.
Selling first with Dealcar gives you the necessary liquidity to make the most of the Auto+ Programme subsidies without depending on the dealership's trade-in or financing conditions that you haven't chosen yourself.
100% free for you. No commissions or hidden costs.
You get paid before handing over the keys. Bank transfer before the car changes hands.
They collect the car from your home. No travel required.
No paperwork. The buyer handles the transfer, DGT, and all the paperwork.
On average, 1,400 euros more than selling on Wallapop.
More than 12,000 cars sold and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Value your car for free on Dealcar.
FAQs
When can I apply for the Auto+ Programme subsidies?
The subsidies apply to purchases from 1 January 2026. The application process is activated once the official call is published. If you already bought an electric car this year before the approval, you can still apply for them. The dealership manages the process as an intermediary.
Are electric cars manufactured in China included?
Yes, but with a lower subsidy. Chinese cars with a ZERO label and a price below 45,000 euros access the Electric and Economic criteria, but not the European criterion (15% + 10% additional). In practice, they receive between 25% and 50% less subsidy than an equivalent car manufactured in the EU.
Can I combine the Auto+ Programme subsidies with other dealership promotions?
Yes. The programme subsidies are independent of the dealership's commercial promotions. In addition, dealerships are obliged to offer a minimum additional discount of 1,000 euros off the invoice price for M1 and N1 vehicles. That discount is added to the subsidy.
What happens if the programme's budget runs out?
The Auto+ Programme has a budget allocation of 400 million euros for 2026. Once the budget is exhausted, there will be no more subsidies until a new allocation is made. Previous MOVES programmes ran out sooner than expected in several editions. The sooner you handle the purchase, the more likely the subsidies will still be available.
Can I apply for the subsidy if I buy a second-hand electric car?
Yes, with conditions. The programme also covers vehicles whose first registration in Spain took place on or after 1 January 2025 and that are purchased through a dealership or sales outlet of the manufacturer group. Second-hand cars sold between individuals are not included.
