“Seat to lead multi-billion dollar project in Spanish EV industry”

After Germany, Spain is the largest player in the European car industry. Even when the electric car is more accessible to the masses, the country would like it to remain that way. The Spanish government therefore reserves 877 million euros in subsidy for the development of the EV industry in the country. Seat now announces that it agrees to receive the largest part of that subsidy pot: 397.4 million euros. With the help of this, the brand will lead a project in which at least 60 companies linked to the Volkswagen Group participate, according to Reuters news agency. In total, the collective is investing more than 10 billion euros in the Spanish car industry with the project.

New battery factory

The plans include a new battery plant in Sagunto (near Valencia) and the conversion of Volkswagen’s plants in Pamplona and Martorell to produce EVs. We already knew that it would be converted in Martorell. The next three smaller EVs of the Volkswagen Group will roll out of that factory. Although they will bear the emblems of Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra, Seat has now announced that it will lead its development. The trio should be on the market from 2025. The plant in Pamplona currently produces the Volkswagen Taigo, T-Cross and Polo.

Seat therefore develops the smaller cars on Volkswagen’s abbreviated MEB platform. Recently, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer hinted that Seat, whose future is uncertain, could become a ‘mobility brand’. Whether he meant that Seat will play a key role in the development of the Spanish EV industry is unlikely. The possible sale of not yet revealed new Seats, however, is also. After all, even now that the brand has quite big news to report, it remains anxiously silent about concrete, new Seat models. Seat does say it is proud to play a key role in the industry for ‘affordable’ European EVs.