Importing a combustion car is an excellent deal. But importing an electric car or a plug-in hybrid? That, my friends, is the equivalent of finding a Willy Wonka golden ticket hidden in the glovebox.
The big bogeyman of car imports in Portugal is called ISV (Imposto Sobre Veículos / Vehicle Tax). It’s the tax that turns a Porsche costing €30,000 in Germany into a €45,000 car the moment you slap a Portuguese plate on it. But the Portuguese State, in its infinite ecological wisdom, decided to give a massive break to cars with batteries.
The Miracle of Zero (or Almost Zero) ISV ⚡
Let’s go straight to the numbers, because this is where the magic happens:
100% Electric Cars (EVs): If you import a Tesla Model 3, a Nissan Leaf or a 100% electric Porsche Taycan, the ISV you pay is exactly ZERO euros. You read that right. Zero. The car has no CO2 emissions and no combustion cubic capacity, so the tax is nil. You only pay the legalization and registration plate fees (about €200-€300 in total).
Plug-in Hybrid Cars (PHEV): If you still have range anxiety and prefer a plug-in hybrid (the kind you plug into the socket but that also has a petrol tank), the discount remains brutal. As long as the car has electric range above 50 km and CO2 emissions below 50 g/km, you only pay 25% of the normal ISV. In other words, a 75% discount offered by the State.
The Final Bill: Where’s the Bargain? 💶
Picture a 2021 BMW 330e (Plug-in Hybrid). In Germany, you can easily find this machine for €25,000. If it were the petrol version (330i), the ISV would push the final price close to €32,000. Because it’s a plug-in hybrid, the ISV is around €500. The car comes in at just over €26,000 fully legalized. In Portugal, the same car on the used market doesn’t go below €35,000.
You’re saving almost €10,000. That’s a lot of trips.
The Fear of Used Batteries 🔋
The main worry of anyone importing an electric car is the state of the battery. "What if the battery is shot like the one in my old phone?"
The good news is that electric car batteries have very long warranties (usually 8 years or 160,000 km). If you buy an electric car that’s 3 or 4 years old, the battery is still covered by the brand’s official warranty. If there’s a serious problem, the brand in Portugal has to take on the repair or replacement.
The Hook: Don’t Want Surprises? Multipark Handles the Inspection 🔍
We know that buying an electric car abroad without seeing the real state of the battery (the so-called SoH — State of Health) can bring on cold sweats. What if there were a way to be absolutely certain about what you’re buying?
Multipark isn’t just the safest car park at the airport. We have services dedicated to imports that take this weight off your shoulders.
Through our partner network, we can take the car to the official brand for a complete check of the battery’s state and the real kilometres, even before you close the deal or start the legalization process.
And speaking of legalization, we also handle all the bureaucracy for you. Customs, IMT, plate request… and we even take care of the mandatory Inspection B. You only have to choose the car and enjoy the savings.
Contact Multipark and discover how our import and legalization services can help you bring that dream electric car home without headaches!
