One of the challenges in which developed countries are immersed is to have an efficient mobility and transport model. And infrastructure is necessary to support said mobility. As Iulian Sastre, Dr. Engineer of Roads, Canals and Ports and President of the Mobility Institute, he points out, “Europe is constantly reminding us that emissions are excessive. Urbanism and mobility must be developed, as an inseparable coupling, we cannot think that a city can be created or developed without the fact that people move and each mobility plan has to think about the model of the city that we want. . In addition, it indicates the mobility opportunity of each state to change. “They are talking to us about low-emission zones where precisely the European currency to develop this model of the city, which aims at active and healthy mobility as a central axis and in general sustainable and safe mobility” emphasizes Sastre, with more than 35 years of professional experience in the world of mobility and transport.
At the interurban level, he believes it is necessary to change the chip and “think about management and quality. Not necessarily in infrastructure, but especially in serving citizens. He points out that in Spain a new way of transport is to be developed by the concession board and that the bus has a clear place in the development of mobility and in capillarity to reach everywhere. “Railway is fundamental, especially regional, suburban rail in metropolitan transport, and rail transportation. But with a focus on services, we have a large infrastructure of rail, especially people, and many corridors to serve what you need to do, and finally the trains fill in
Manuel de los Ojos, director of Electromobility in Spain Siemens, highlights the significant investment effort made by Spain in recent decades, as well as “significant improvement in infrastructure, its transport system and communication networks, which progress in terms of competitiveness, accessibility and territorial connectivity. Because of this, Spain”. it currently has a good infrastructure network throughout its territory, such as road and motorway networks, high-speed networks, port and airport networks, transport networks and electrical power distribution or fiber networks.
Regarding the automotive and mobility sector, Spain is the leader in vehicle manufacturing, occupying 9th place in the world ranking and 2nd in Europe, only after Germany. Therefore, the electric vehicle represents a double threat and opportunity for Spain. The threat, because it requires the renewal of the automotive industry towards this new technology, where the battle gains momentum to the detriment of the engine, and the rest of the parts must be lifted by weight,” says De los Ojos. It is a double opportunity, because it is possible to maintain leadership in a strategic industry in which Spain it was already well positioned and, at the same time, “to increase transport electrification, thus reducing CO2 emissions and foreign energy dependence”.
Among the objectives of the new mobility, the director of Electromobility in Siemens Spain mentions that the main thing is to “guarantee that mobility is sustainable. We must not forget that mobility is responsible for 32% of the energy consumed globally and about 25% of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere”. For this reason, he does not understand decarbonization to be an option but “the responsibility we have with the planet and this through the energy transition to a model that allows us to drastically and quickly reduce the emissions of polluting gases”.
Impediments to the electric car
There are several challenges that the country will face in order to complete the transport integration that allows for the complete mobility of the ecosystem. Manuel de los Ojos emphasizes several points. “The first and most important thing is to get the users themselves to make a positive change. They consider that a city free from smoke and noise is better for them, for the citizens and for the society as a whole. It is a hybrid model between public transport, common and light operating and functional. “We see with hope how many states are taking the leap. The presence of the deterrent car park increases mixed routes, mutual companies make profit, new operators appear in the exploitation of commercial railway infrastructure, logistics companies invest in zero-emission vehicles… we are moving forward without any doubt”.
According to the director of the Mobility Institute, the question of health and safety is being addressed, as well as economic efficiency and “must transcend ideologies”. It shows, for example, that 25% of car journeys in the metropolitan area of ​​Spain are less than 2 km and 50% less than 5 km. “This implies the problem of the energy efficiency of economic costs, which must be considered and more in these times of energy crisis.” But he believes that society is much more aware of the need for this change. Also the manufacturing, the mobility, the financing of the product, the concern before. “Resources need to be considered so that services and infrastructures are developed”, Iulianus Sastre highlights. Another of the difficulties that sometimes exists is “the capacity of small municipalities, in short, another question of management and resources”. It also represents a trade-off, usually an oversight, which creates an added difficulty. “I usually say business and more from the growth of electronic commerce, but because they don’t vote for oblivion,” they point out.
To promote this new mobility, Ramón Ledesma, PONS Mobility Advisor, believes that decisions are necessary. “Experience shows that the municipal government is the key in the new development mobility. The decisions that the municipalities make today do not only affect one legislature, but also make the next situation”, he emphasizes. And they show the fact. “Despite the initial resistance in the local public debate, there are no pedestrianizations that have taken place. Decisions are made in the regime of mobility, but once made, no one wants to go back.
It also indicates that the Spanish demand, when you lose their habits, these infrastructures. “In 2015, the sale of one million bicycles in Spain was reached for the first time. In 2021 there were 1.5 million. The demand is growing. And with the demand, infrastructure management must be established for it”, explains Ledesma. In the past year, several cities have shut down the scooter rental system and established conditions for the exercise of carsharing. “Demand is growing.”
Electrolinear
When we talk about the shortage of electric cars in Spain, one of the most common questions is when the deployment stations, the expectations of citizens, will take place. “We depend a lot on ourselves because we will be able to speed up the execution of the official system. As of today, up to 1,000 points per month are generally installed (not only the points in the fast charging stations), but only a much smaller percentage are activated, says Manuel de los Ojos.
Remember also that hundreds of high power points are installed waiting for the energy to come to wake up, and this power does not arrive, because the procedure takes between 6 and 12 months, depending on the case. “This is not the case. We need everyone’s cooperation to unlock these things and continue moving forward towards the 2030 goal,” he points out. He acknowledges the presence of a reliable infrastructure as a motivation for users to take the leap and to be one of them, he promises that “today it will be possible to travel through Spain in complete safety without the risk of being abandoned.”
