Public transport use is growing, but environmental awareness and electric cars are not taking off.

Despite the general concern about reducing emissions (82.7%), only 15.6% of Spaniards have changed their habits for environmental reasons. Price, range, and the scarcity of charging stations are holding back the widespread adoption of electric or hybrid vehicles.

In the context of the summer of 2025, when the DGT forecasts a record of more than 100 million journeys, a Triodos Bank study on "Sustainable Behaviors of the Spanish Population" sheds light on citizens' mobility habits and environmental awareness.

Although owning a vehicle remains the preferred option for leisure (39.3%), there is a slight increase in the use of trains (20%), planes (11.9%) and buses (6%) compared to 2024.

Outside of holiday periods, the key factors determining transportation choices are travel time (55.5%), comfort (52.9%), and cost (36.4%). Surprisingly, although 82.7% of the population considers reducing emissions in transportation important, only 15.6% have changed their habits for environmental reasons, a five-point drop compared to the previous year. Overall concern about environmental impact also dropped slightly to 15%.

The study highlights a positive trend in public transportation use. 80.2% of the population reports using it at least occasionally, a four-point increase compared to 2024, with the percentage of those who never use it decreasing. However, the majority of use remains occasional (46.6%), and only 13.5% use it daily.

Citizens recognize the existence of public policies to promote public transport, but only 10.1% believe they are applied in all areas. User demands are clear: 78.9% call for improvements in quality, frequency, and accessibility, 42.6% advocate for economic incentives, and 38.3% for infrastructure and fleet renewal. Regional differences are evident, with Madrid (93.6%) and Catalonia (88.4%) showing greater occasional or frequent use.

Despite initiatives such as the MOVES III Plan, electric vehicles are still not widely established in Spain. Although 56% of those surveyed would consider switching to a hybrid or electric car, only 13.7% say they will do so soon.

The main barriers identified for the purchase of these vehicles are clear: purchase price (60%), skepticism about their range (56.6%), the lack of charging stations (55.7%), and battery life (52.6%). Only 4% of the population sees no barriers.

Regarding the role of public administrations, only 43.8% believe that measures are being implemented to encourage the adoption of electric cars, and of these, 34.9% consider them insufficient. A further 38.8% believe that incentives are limited and inaccessible.

The report concludes that, while there is a general awareness of sustainability, translating this awareness into concrete behavioral changes and overcoming economic and infrastructure barriers are the major challenges facing sustainable mobility in Spain.