PHEV with Label 0 or Label ECO: The 40 km Electric-Range Threshold

The exact threshold: 40 km of electric range

Under the DGT's current, verified criteria, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) gets label 0 (Zero Emissions) if its homologated electric-only range reaches 40 km or more. Below that threshold, the PHEV gets label ECO instead, provided it also meets the Euro standard and registration-date criteria required for label C.

It is worth being precise here because misinformation circulates: a reform that would have raised this threshold to 90 km, alongside other changes, was proposed during 2025 but was removed from Spain's Sustainable Mobility Law by a parliamentary amendment in October 2025. As things stand, the requirement remains exactly 40 km — do not take a higher figure you may see quoted elsewhere at face value without checking dgt.es directly.

Why PHEV ranges vary so much

A plug-in hybrid's electric range depends on battery capacity, which has grown generation after generation. The first PHEVs launched roughly a decade ago typically offered 20 to 30 km of homologated electric range, while more recent generations from many manufacturers now exceed 60 to 100 km, partly to qualify for tax incentives and zero-emission access across several European markets.

• Older-generation PHEVs (20-35 km range): usually label ECO.
• Recent-generation PHEVs (40 km or more): label 0.
• The same model can carry different labels across model years depending on the battery pack fitted.

Where to check the electric range before importing

On a German listing, this figure appears as 'elektrische Reichweite' or 'E-Reichweite (WLTP)', usually in kilometres. It is a technical specification, not the seller's estimate, and it is worth cross-checking against the car's Certificate of Conformity (CoC), where the officially homologated electric range is recorded.

What actually changes between 0 and ECO

The difference is not just symbolic. Label 0 gives guaranteed access to every Low Emission Zone in Spain and, in Madrid, unlimited free parking in the regulated SER zone. Label ECO also gives access to most Low Emission Zones, but in Madrid it earns only a 75% discount on regulated parking, not free parking.

Two PHEVs that look almost identical from the outside can carry different labels purely because of battery capacity. It is worth checking the exact figure before buying.