Spaniards no longer want to buy new diesel cars: in 2015 they represented 63% of sales, while this year they do not even reach 6% of the total.

With June now closed, we have the data on vehicle registrations in Spain, provided by industry associations (ANFAC, Faconauto, and GANVAM). Beyond the overall sales figures (119,125 units this month and 609,801 year-to-date), this time we focus on engine types. The statistics clearly show how market trends have changed over the last decade, driven by the need to reduce automobile emissions to comply with increasingly stringent European regulations, which establish a ban on the sale of new internal combustion vehicles by 2035 (it remains to be seen whether this will be enforced or whether synthetic fuels will ultimately save traditional engines ).

In 2015, the year the Dieselgate scandal broke, diesel vehicles accounted for almost 63% of registrations in Spain, according to ANFAC data. Today, a decade later, that percentage has plummeted to 5.6% so far in 2025. In June, these passenger cars barely accounted for 5.5% of total sales. This figure marks a 45.2% decline compared to June 2024 and a cumulative drop of 37.8% in the first half of the year. Thus, it seems that Spanish consumers no longer want diesel cars, and brands are also reducing their range of available models.

Gasoline-powered vehicles have also lost market share, albeit less drastically. In 2015, they accounted for over 35% of sales, but the diesel emissions scandal contributed to an increase in registrations to 60% in 2019. By June 2025, gasoline-powered passenger car registrations will reach 29.3%, while the cumulative total will reach 30.1%. Figures from January to June show a 13.4% drop compared to the same period last year.

The decline in traditional fuels contrasts with the rise of electrified vehicles—pure electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), and conventional hybrid vehicles (HEVs)—powered by other technologies such as hydrogen or natural gas. These models already represent 63.5% of the market so far this year and, in June alone, accounted for 65.2% of registrations. In absolute figures, their growth is significant: in the first half of 2025, more than 387,000 units were registered, 47.3% more than in 2024.

This shift is due to both regulatory factors and a change in consumer mindset and brand strategy, which are opting to launch mild hybrid versions to better categorize their internal combustion models. Traffic restrictions in urban areas, tax incentives, decarbonization policies promoted by the European Union, and technological advancements by manufacturers have favored the transition. Furthermore, the increased supply of electric and hybrid models, with more competitive prices and increasing ranges, has made these vehicles no longer a marginal option.

Segment data also reinforces this trend. While alternative-fueled SUVs are increasingly capturing market share—electrified midsize SUVs grew by 52% in the first half of the year—diesel versions are plummeting. Suffice it to say that in the midsize SUV category, diesel has lost more than 40% of its registrations compared to 2024.

Although overall figures for the Spanish market show a recovery in registrations after the pandemic and supply crises, it is clear that the upturn is primarily benefiting electrified vehicles. Gasoline and diesel car registrations continue their structural decline, which is more pronounced in the case of diesel, which appears destined to become a largely residual technology in the short term.