Barcelona and motorcycles are an inseparable combination, and the city is, in fact, one of the places with the most motorcycles per capita. But the sound and smell of our streets is about to change. Or so the City Council hopes. If you have one of those 49cc “gems” in your garage that make more noise than they run and leave a trail of white smoke in their wake, pay attention: Barcelona City Council has just approved the conditions to make switching to electric mobility much cheaper.
The initiative, part of the ambitious Climate Plan 2030, offers direct aid of €600 to all individuals who decide to make the leap to the silence of the electric motor. This is not a trivial amount; according to current market prices, this check can cover between 16% and 40% of the cost of a new zero-emission moped. The idea is that no one is left behind in the energy transition, especially young people, who are the main users of this type of vehicle.
Goodbye to scrapping, hello to batteries
To access these funds, there is one condition that is at the heart of the proposal: you have to say goodbye to your old vehicle for good. The essential requirement is to scrap acombustion engine moped. To ensure that the process is not a bureaucratic headache, the City Council has set up Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (BSM) depots, where you can scrap your vehicle free of charge and obtain the certificate you need to apply for the subsidy immediately.
Unlike other state aid schemes such as Plan MOVES III, which often focuses on larger cars or motorcycles (L3e, L4e, L5e), this local measure focuses specifically on mopeds (L1e). This is a strategic move, as although they are small vehicles, the approximately 18,000 that circulate in the city are responsible for around 3,000 tons of CO2 per year. The goal is clear: by 2030, there will not be a single gasoline-powered moped left in Barcelona.
The challenge of charging and battery exchange
One of the big fears when switching to electric is “where do I charge it?” The city council seems to have done its homework on this front as well. In addition to direct purchase subsidies, nearly €3 million will be invested to create a network of 64 battery exchange stations.
This system, which is already a success in cities such as Taiwan with the Gogoro model, allows you to arrive at a station, leave your flat battery and take away a full one in a matter of seconds, eliminating the waiting time associated with traditional charging. The program will officially start on March 1, when all purchases made by individuals will be eligible for subsidies. So, if you were thinking of replacing your old bike, it might be worth waiting a few weeks for the City Council to pay part of the bill.