Barcelona Offers €600 to Scrap Gas Scooters for Electric Models

Barcelona is accelerating its transition to electric scooters, launching a program aimed at achieving a fully electric fleet by 2030 as part of its broader climate strategy. The initiative targets a segment of urban mobility that has lagged in adopting cleaner energy alternatives.

Currently, the city has approximately 32,000 scooters, with a portion already electric. The core of the program is a direct subsidy of 600 euros for the purchase of a latest electric scooter. This fixed amount covers between 16% and 40% of the vehicle’s current market price.

However, the subsidy is contingent upon the scrapping of a gasoline-powered scooter. This requirement is designed to effectively reduce emissions and prevent an overall increase in the number of scooters on the road. Barcelona’s municipal services departments offer free scooter disposal, including the necessary certificate for claiming the subsidy, streamlining the administrative process.

Applicants need only submit two documents: the invoice for the electric scooter and proof of the old scooter’s disposal. Subsidies will be awarded in the order applications are received, until the annual budget is exhausted.

Approximately 24,000 gasoline-powered scooters remain in use in Barcelona, although around 8,000 are already electric. An estimated 18,000 scooters are actively circulating, making this vehicle type a significant contributor to urban emissions. The city aims to replace these vehicles to reduce its carbon footprint and noise pollution.

The plan extends beyond purchase incentives. Barcelona is preparing a second round of funding, allocating nearly 3 million euros over four years, to establish a battery-swapping network. This infrastructure will support the use of electric scooters by installing at least 64 stations throughout the city.

With a total budget of 15 million euros, the program intends to add up to 20,000 new electric scooters by 2030. City officials view this as a structural shift in urban mobility, focusing on a vehicle widely used in Barcelona. The success of the plan will depend on public acceptance and the deployment of the necessary infrastructure.