Emmanuel Macron launched on Thursday the electric car leasing system “at 100 euros per month” for the most modest, a campaign promise which will be materialized on January 1 but will start slowly, with at least 20,000 deliveries in 2024 before an increase in power.
At the same time, the government revealed the list of vehicles which will be eligible, from Friday, for the new remodeled “electric bonus” which, on the basis of environmental criteria, will de facto favor almost exclusively electric models produced in France or in Europe, just like those targeted by leasing at 100 euros per month.
As part of “ecological planning” to “continue to reduce our CO2 emissions”, we must “replace our so-called thermal vehicles with electric vehicles”, explained the Head of State in a video posted line on social networks. “The goal is that we help you buy electric vehicles produced here,” he added.
A leasing system
“From January 1, the leasing system will be put in place at 100 euros per month,” announced the president, referring to a government platform active from this Friday, mon-leasing-electrique.gouv.fr, where everyone can see if they are eligible. Real reservations will be made on the rental companies’ websites from January 1st.
This system will ultimately be reserved for half of the lowest-income households (whose reference tax income per unit is less than 15,400 euros), according to an advisor to the executive. But initially, the population concerned will be more restricted to specifically target, among these households, “active heavy drivers”, who drive more than 8,000 km per year or who live more than 15 km from their place of work. .
In 2024, the government expects the delivery of only 20,000 to 25,000 electric vehicles thanks to this leasing, which exempts beneficiaries from paying an initial contribution. This number should increase with French production, to be doubled by 2025, it is hoped in the entourage of the Head of State.
An “electric” ecological bonus
The ecological bonus becomes “electric” by integrating new environmental criteria to favor for the first time “low carbon” and almost exclusively electric vehicles, in a regulatory text which must appear Friday in the Official Journal.
According to the list unveiled Thursday by Bercy, eligible vehicles are de facto almost only produced in Europe. Chinese-made cars like the Dacia Spring, the cheapest electric on the market, but also the MG and Smart, are excluded from the bonus.