Automobile association sounds alert over increasing age of Portugal’s fleet
Portuguese citizens are importing more second hands from abroad than ever.
According to the Portuguese Automobile Association (ACAP) just last year nationals imported around 300 ‘used cars’ per day – something that is not helping the overall fleet in terms of age: there are an increasing number of cars circulating that are over eight years old.
The ‘age’ of Portugal’s fleet has always been a sore point. Many drivers are still running vehicles from the last century, whereas in more affluent European countries this is a rarity. ACAP doesn’t quite put it as bluntly as that, but it does point to “around 1.5 million cars on the roads over 20 years old”.
And while pressure is on for drivers to embrace EVs, ‘go green’ and eschew petrol and diesel, the reality is that this is just not happening: 55% of cars still run on diesel, 36% on petrol and only 9% on alternative energies.
In a press conference to go over the various talking points of 2024, ACAP’s Pedro Lazarino went so far as to suggest Portugal is being used (by other countries) to get rid of their most polluting cars: the majority of imported vehicles, he explained, run on diesel.
Another moot point is that those who tend to buy EVs in Portugal are, more often than not, companies (which can claim tax benefits) because the only incentive available to private buyers involves scrapping their previous petrol/ diesel car, which doesn’t suit everyone.
Thus, ACAP is hoping the government comes up with a bright idea of how to promote EVs and bring the country’s fleet into the 21st century. It may not end up being left to the government: Observador explains that the European Commission is having a meeting next week to “consider a plan to harmonise support for EVs in the various European countries”.
