The gradual arrival of ZFEs (low emission zones) in large French cities risks generating a great deal of tension for people who live or work there, but who cannot afford to change vehicles. Indeed, as soon as they are set up, these zones, which concern cities as varied as Paris, Nice, Montpellier or Rouen, will prohibit access to old vehicles considered to be polluting. Their owners who live or work will be obliged to change vehicles or risk being fined. To help the most modest of these households, additional financial aid will see the light of day, a zero-rate loan, the application of which has just been recorded by the official journal.
Conditional purchase assistance
Of course, this aid does not concern everyone, the conditions for obtaining it are restrictive. It will also be limited in time since it is only planned for the next two years. To qualify, you must:
- Live or work in a inter-municipality of which part of the territory is located in a low-emissions zone mobility made compulsory »
- Justify a reference tax income per unit less than or equal to 14,000 euros.
- Buy a vehicle for less than 30,000 euros (once the aid has been deducted) and weighing less than 2.6 tonnes.
- Buy a vehicle that emits less than 50g/km of CO2 (i.e. all electric cars and a handful of plug-in hybrids).
- Take out a loan for a maximum of 84 months.
These conditions apply both for the purchase of a new vehicle and for LLD (long-term rental) or LOA (rental with option to purchase). In the last two cases, the amount of aid is capped at 10,000 euros.
Also see video:
Also see video:
The timetable for setting up ZFEs varies from one city to another, but this ecological transition measure risks precipitating many households into an unanticipated change of vehicle. Given the current tensions in the car market and the very long waiting times before delivery, more than the conditions of access to this zero-rate loan, it is the period of validity of the aid that questions.