The Costa Blanca now has more registered vehicles than ever before, highlighting the region’s continued dependence on private cars.
New figures from Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) show the province has more than 1.63 million registered vehicles. Alicante province has a population of just over 2 million people.
That equals around 802 vehicles for every 1,000 residents.
Alicante city and Elche lead vehicle numbers
Alicante city has the largest number of registered vehicles, with more than 244,000 on the roads.
Elche follows with around 173,000 vehicles.
Orihuela and Torrevieja also record high vehicle numbers.
Other towns with large fleets include Benidorm, Dénia, San Vicente del Raspeig and Alcoy.
Petrol and diesel cars still dominate
Most vehicles in Alicante province still run on petrol or diesel.
The province has more than 1.1 million passenger cars. Officials also recorded more than 206,000 motorcycles, nearly 96,000 vans and over 92,000 lorries.
Electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, but numbers remain low compared with traditional engines.
Alicante province currently has just over 19,000 electrified vehicles. In comparison, almost 891,000 petrol vehicles and nearly 694,000 diesel vehicles remain on the roads.
More vehicles than residents
Some smaller towns in Alicante province have more registered vehicles than residents.
Benidoleig stands out with more than 7,500 registered vehicles despite having only 1,274 residents.
Similar trends appear in Finestrat, Benissa, Teulada and Rojales.
In many cases, leasing companies and fleet operators register vehicles in these municipalities for tax or administrative reasons.
Older vehicles: Emissions concerns
The figures also show the challenge facing Alicante province as officials try to modernise transport and reduce emissions.
Nearly 400,000 vehicles across the province still have no environmental badge. These vehicles are among the oldest and most polluting models still in use.
Electric mobility continues to grow slowly on the Costa Blanca. However, the latest figures show the province still relies heavily on private cars, especially in coastal and residential areas with limited public transport options.
