The mindset of governments, transport companies, and citizens in general continues to evolve. With growing environmental awareness, people have changed the way they travel in the city. Cars have lost importance, and we prefer public transport, bicycles, or personal mobility vehicles (PMVs). Thanks to these urban transport trends, we contribute to reducing polluting emissions and avoid traffic jams, wasted time, and the consumption of fuel searching for parking.
The increased environmental awareness is driven by plans such as the Safe, Sustainable, and Connected Mobility Strategy 2030. It is also influenced by decisions made by major cities like Madrid or Barcelona. These have been the first Spanish cities to establish a low-emission zone, which polluting vehicles cannot access.
2022 is a year of transition where urban mobility will be marked by various trends we will discuss in this post. Among them is multimodality: the integration of various means of transport such as bicycles, PMVs, and public transport.
More electric and gas vehicles in the city
The sale of gasoline cars was still the majority in 2021, accounting for 48.8% of the total. However, last year closed with a significant increase in sales of alternative vehicles (passenger cars, quadricycles, commercial and industrial vehicles, and buses), continuing the trend.
According to ANFAC data, the sale of electric vehicles increased by 37.8% in 2021. Meanwhile, gas vehicles saw their sales increase by 7.15%. This trend continues in 2022, with registrations of electric vehicles on the rise. Electrified vehicles have accounted for one in ten sales in the first quarter of 2022. Up to May of this year, registrations of electrified vehicles, hybrids, and gas vehicles have grown by 17.7% compared to the previous year.
Increase in charging points
In 2022, we will see an increase in electric vehicle charging points in all Spanish cities. Energy companies in the country have already announced their plans to exceed 100,000 electric chargers by 2023.
Furthermore, Law 7/2021 requires the installation of electric charging infrastructure at service stations whose annual gasoline and diesel sales exceed 5 million liters. This Climate Change and Energy Transition Law also mandates the installation of charging points in new buildings. Likewise, it requires their installation in renovations of existing buildings to achieve cleaner transport in cities.
This measure will lead to electric charging points becoming more prevalent in urban landscapes.
Low-emission zones
For some months now, both Barcelona and Madrid have had low-emission zones (LEZs) that prohibit access to the most polluting vehicles. Starting in 2023, all Spanish municipalities with over 50,000 inhabitants must have an LEZ. This regulation is included in the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law. Many municipalities are providing information in 2022 on how travel in their urban centers will change in 2023, encouraging the use of public transport and alternative vehicles.
Some cities like Seville, Valencia, or Valladolid already have low-emission zones that are activated on days with high pollution. Due to the increase in LEZs, the DGT launched a new environmental labeling in 2021 that classifies vehicles by their emissions. This sticker aims to positively discriminate against vehicles that are more environmentally friendly. This label grants the right to travel within low-emission zones.
The new environmental labeling system divides vehicles into four categories:
- Zero Emissions Label. This label is for battery electric vehicles and extended-range electric vehicles. It is also awarded to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with a range of 40 km and fuel cell vehicles.
- ECO Label. Sticker for plug-in electric vehicles with a range of less than 40 km, non-plug-in hybrids, and vehicles powered by CNG, LNG, and LPG.
- C Label. Label for gasoline passenger cars and light vans registered from January 2006 onwards and diesel from 2014 onwards. It is also for vehicles with more than eight seats and heavy-duty vehicles, both gasoline and diesel, registered from 2014 onwards.
- B Label. Corresponds to gasoline passenger cars and light vans registered from January 2001 onwards and diesel from 2006 onwards. This sticker is also for vehicles with more than eight seats and heavy-duty vehicles, diesel or gasoline, registered from 2005 onwards.
The DGT’s environmental classification is proving very relevant in 2022 when purchasing new vehicles.
Electric scooter, still booming
We see them every day on the streets; the electric scooter is one of the most used PMVs in the city. This vehicle is an alternative for short trips or to be used as a first or last mile vehicle. We call a first or last mile vehicle that first transport solution we take to get to the bus station or the area where we pick up our shared vehicle. There are increasingly more parking areas reserved for these scooters in urban environments.
The electric scooter rental company Voi recently shared figures and results since its arrival in Seville in June 2021. Their study confirms that users primarily use this vehicle in integration with other public transport vehicles. They do so for convenience and environmental reasons. In fact, in the second half of 2021, scooter trips in Seville saved the emission of 19.86 kg of PM 2.5 particles. They also avoided the emission of 29.5 tons of CO2.
Remember that the circulation of electric scooters and other PMVs is regulated by road safety rules. Scooters cannot circulate on sidewalks or pedestrian areas and cannot exceed a speed of 25 km/h.
Carsharing, an upward urban transport trend
Although carsharing arrived in Spain a few years ago, in 2022 it is experiencing a period of great popularity, mainly in Madrid, but also in other towns like Badajoz; the latter has had the service since 2020. Carsharing is a vehicle rental service for city travel. This service operates with electric vehicles that allow users to access low-emission zones.
The rental is charged by the minute and the reservation is made quickly through the app of each carsharing company. There are several points in Madrid and Barcelona with shared mobility cars. You can pick up the car in one area and return it in another near your destination.
This service for occasional trips is convenient and improves urban mobility. For environmental reasons or due to the current price of fuel, more and more people are prioritizing it.
At our company, we have been committed to sustainable urban mobility for years, designing buses like the Nelec, for electric urban mobility; the Magnus H, our hybrid suburban bus; and other gas-powered bodies. One of Castrosua’s main goals is to always adapt to urban transport trends, prioritizing citizen well-being.
2022 is a time to continue advancing in favor of sustainability, public transport, and other new forms of mobility. Will you join us?
