SEAT, Iberdrola and Volkswagen Group España Distribución collaborate to boost e-mobility in Spain

SEAT, Iberdrola and Volkswagen Group España Distribución are strengthening their commitment to the electrification of transport by signing a strategic collaboration agreement to jointly promote the rollout of electric, sustainable mobility in Spain.

The alliance was endorsed at a meeting between Iberdrola Chairman Ignacio Galán and Volkswagen Group CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEAT, Dr. Herbert Diess.

The companies share the vision of the need to advance in the electrification of Spain in a coordinated manner, with alliances among the main agents that are providing solutions in this area, as well as the opportunities to configure an industrial, commercial and innovation ecosystem that will enable our country to maintain a prominent position in the automotive industry of the future and lead the development of sustainable mobility in Europe.

They have also identified the recharging infrastructure as one of the key factors in promoting electromobility and will therefore be working together in different areas of action. The green deal includes activating cross-sector innovation projects and a plan to ensure the roll-out of fast and ultra-fast charging points on the main routes of Spain's road network. In addition, they will foster their use at SEAT's facilities and at the brand's and Volkswagen Group España Distribución dealers and the integration of Iberdrola's recharging infrastructure into the navigators of electric vehicles, as well as the marketing of Iberdrola's electric recharging solutions at SEAT's dealers. In this context, Iberdrola has completed the installation of 140 recharging points at SEAT's centres in Martorell, including spaces for private and public use.

Volkswagen Group CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEAT, Dr. Herbert Diess said, “E-mobility is gaining ground. The demand for charging stations and clean electricity is increasing. Now more than ever, it is paramount to establish a comprehensive charging infrastructure throughout Europe. Spain has an important role in this, and the Volkswagen Group wants to contribute to the breakthrough of electric and emission-free driving in the Spanish market. Iberdrola is an ideal strategic partner for us, especially with regard to the expansion of fast charging points. Furthermore, Iberdrola is rapidly converting to CO2-free energy production and in Spain they already produce about 90 percent electricity from renewable energies.”

“The agreement shows the ambition of our transport electrification strategy and confirms the need to continue collaborating with all stakeholders to meet the challenges of mobility which is based on clean energy and zero CO2 emissions, as well as the demands of a society that is committed to reducing pollution and increasing energy efficiency. The role that electrification will play in the green recovery, which will lead to economic reactivation and employment creation,” explained Iberdrola President Ignacio Galán.

The goal of the automotive electrification strategy is to use 100% renewable energy in the electric vehicle supply chain. To this end, the three companies will evaluate energy solutions to reduce CO2 emissions at the plants and the SEAT and Volkswagen Group España Distribución dealers in the country, with an analysis of proposals in the area of self-consumption, with the installation of solar panels, the supply of 100% green energy and the implementation of energy efficiency solutions.

This green alliance opens other areas of collaboration related with joint participation in pilot projects of electromobility and R&D+i; the incorporation of manufacturers' electric vehicles in Iberdrola's fleets and actions with SEAT's sharing companies and Volkswagen Group España Distribución.

The carmaker is in the midst of a transformation towards electrification of the company and its brands. SEAT and CUPRA are launching five new electric and plug-in hybrid models in 2020 and 2021, in addition to the electric version of the SEAT Mii, which is already on sale. The Leon family will feature plug-in hybrid electric models under the SEAT and CUPRA brands, manufactured in Martorell; the SEAT Tarraco will have a PHEV version and the CUPRA Formentor, the first model designed and developed for the CUPRA brand, will also have a plug-in hybrid electric variant. In addition, the future CUPRA Born will join the SEAT Mii electric as the company's second 100% electric vehicle.

The company has also created SEAT MÓ, a new brand focused on promoting sustainable mobility, which also offers electric kickscooters and motorcycles. SEAT is going to invest €5 billion ($5.9 billion) until 2025 in new research and development projects to electrify its vehicle range, as well as in equipment and facilities in our production plants. This new cross-sector alliance with Iberdrola is another step that shows the carmaker's firm commitment to making an electric future a reality in Spain.

Iberdrola continues to commit to the electrification of transportation in its strategy of transition to a decarbonised economy, as a key lever for reducing emissions and pollution in cities, as well as for green recovery in the post-COVID world. The company is developing a sustainable mobility plan, to which it will allocate a total of €150 million ($177 million), to intensify the roll-out of electric vehicle recharging points. The initiative provides for the installation of close to 150,000 electric vehicle chargers in homes and businesses, as well as on public roads, over the next five years. The commitment to the roll-out of recharging on motorways and major routes will prioritise ultra-fast (350 kW), super-fast (150 kW) and fast (50 kW) charging stations.

Electric vehicle users who recharge at Iberdrola stations do so with 100% green energy from clean generation sources and with Renewable Guarantee of Origin (GoO) certificates. The company also has the only app that incorporates verified information on electric vehicle chargers in operation in Spain, which in addition to a geolocation feature, in the case of Iberdrola's chargers, can be used to reserve and pay for charging from a mobile phone.

Iberdrola was the first Spanish company to subscribe to The Climate Group's EV100 initiative, with the aim of accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, committing itself to electrifying its entire vehicle fleet and facilitating recharging for personnel in its businesses in Spain and the United Kingdom by 2030.

Volkswagen Group España Distribución's mission is to promote the transformation of mobility, and to do so in a way that is socially and environmentally sustainable. For this reason, it is committed to electromobility and its brands already have a wide range of 100% electric models such as the Volkswagen e-Up! and e-Golf, the Audi e-tron or the Skoda eCitigo, to which a total of eight new electric and four plug-in hybrids will be added over the next 18 months. Volkswagen Vans is the only company in the commercial vehicle sector that has electric versions for all the segments in its range.