The publication of the call in the Official State Gazette (OSG) marked the start of the Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation of Electric and Connected Vehicles (PERTE VEC). Companies can now submit their proposals for the grants, which will amount to 2.975 billion euros for the industrial sector.

30% of the aid for each initiative had to go to SMEs initially in order to be eligible for public funding. However, the new wording in the OSG has made this condition more flexible and states that funding equivalent to the expenditure incurred by large companies in contracting and subcontracting these SMEs may also be taken into account.

Competitive participation
The call will be governed by competitive criteria and each project submitted must have an impact on at least two autonomous communities. In addition, the three mandatory sections must be represented in all proposals with at least one participant, due to their importance in the value chain: a battery manufacturer, an automotive manufacturer and a component manufacturer.

Aid will be granted in proportion to the investment made by the companies. The funding of 2.975 billion euros for 2022 is divided into 1.425 billion in the form of loans and another 1.55 billion through grants.

Job creation
These amounts, corresponding to the industrial sector of the PERTE, are complemented by other programmes, such as Moves III, Moves singular projects and the CDTI's (Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology) sustainable mobility technology programme, amounting to 4.3 billion euros. Together with the private initiative, a total investment of 24 billion euros is expected in the sector between 2021 and 2023.

PERTE VEC is expected to contribute to the creation of up to 140,000 jobs and will have an impact on Spanish GDP of between 1% and 1.7%. Thanks to its implementation it is expected that 250,000 electric vehicle registrations will be achieved by 2023 and that the number of charging points deployed will be between 80,000 and 110,000.

Tractor project
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, spoke of "long-awaited news after months of work and negotiation with Brussels", and added, "This project is a historic opportunity to turn electric and connected vehicle manufacturing into a tractor project that strengthens the automotive industry across the country. For the Spanish Government, the automotive sector is a priority and will be a key player in the Recovery Plan, as we have the industrial capacities and the leadership of companies to invest in the mobility of the future, a mobility that will be more sustainable, digital, connected and safe".

Consortia submitting applications must be made up of at least five companies that are not part of the same group, and at least 40% must be SMEs. They must be associated with electric vehicle manufacturing and at least one must be a knowledge provider. The tractor project must consist of a set of primary projects and a number of rules have been established to ensure the participation of all companies in each consortium.