The electric bonus and the various aids and bonuses for the purchase of an electric vehicle will greatly evolve in 2024. Until now mainly conditioned by the acquisition cost, the new rules will exclude many models which could qualify for it until now. ‘now. Clearly, you only have a few days left to benefit from the bonus and local aid.
Every year, the ecological bonus decreases. Currently set at 5,000 euros, it could even reach 7,000 euros for households whose reference tax income is less than 14,089 euros. The conditions to be fulfilled were of a simplicity rather rare in the French administration. Until now, the beneficiary had to be domiciled in France and acquire a car registered in France, which uses electricity, hydrogen or a combination of the two as its exclusive source of energy. In addition, the vehicle had to be purchased, or rented under a long-term rental contract of two years or more.
Other rules have been put in place, particularly in the face of the temptation to resell your electric car abroad after a few months. Thus, in addition to the acquisition cost less than or equal to 47,000 euros including tax and a weight of less than 2.4 tonnes, the vehicle must not be sold within one year of its purchase or rental, nor before having traveled at least 6,000 km. Finally, the ecological bonus could only be paid a maximum of once per person every three years.
New rules in 2024
Who says new year says new rules. Let’s start with the good news first. In 2024, the ecological bonus ceilings will not change. It will therefore still be possible to benefit from aid of 5,000 euros for the purchase of an electric car, or even 7,000 euros for the most modest households.
Yes, but now, an environmental score will also appear, which will be added to the previous criteria which will still remain relevant, namely a purchase price which must not exceed 47,000 euros, and a maximum weight of 2, 4 tons.
Supposed to support the purchase of vehicles which have benefited from a virtuous production cycle, this new condition is above all akin to protectionism which does not speak its name in the face of Chinese cars, which are sometimes highly subsidized, it must be recognized. .
In any case, the new ecological bonus for a private car will be reserved for models which have obtained an environmental score equal to or greater than 60 points if we are to believe decrees n°2023-929 and n°2023-930 as well as the decree of October 7, 2023. But what does this obscure environmental score contain? This is where things will get complicated and not just a little.
The environmental score puzzle
Calculated by the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe), this is linked to CO2 emissions which are generated by the manufacture of the vehicle. And many criteria will come into play :
- the model of the vehicle and in particular the number of seats,
- the place of assembly
- the volume and weight of the materials used
- battery characteristics
- routing and distance traveled between the production site and the distribution location
This new rule applies from October 10, 2023 but there is a transition period if you hurry. Indeed, the eligibility criterion does not apply to a new electric passenger car ordered before December 15, 2023 included if invoicing occurs on March 15, 2024 at the latest. There is therefore very little time left to decide while taking care to ensure delivery before mid-March.
What models will be eligible?
So how do you know if the electric car you have set your sights on will be eligible? An order is expected to be published this month, which will set the list of the first eligible electric cars. This list, which will be available on the Ademe website, is supposed to be updated regularly.
One thing is practically certain: all electric cars that are built in China and who were until now eligible for the ecological bonus will no longer be entitled to it at all in 2024. This obviously concerns Chinese manufacturers such as MG with its small MG4 which has broken sales records, but also European manufacturers such as Smart with its Smart #1 which has just arrived in dealerships, Mini with its electric Cooper, Dacia with the Spring and even Volvo which has just launched its smallest electric SUV with the EX30.
Unsurprisingly, the Tesla Model 3 which is assembled in China and the United States will be also deprived of ecological bonus. Only the Tesla Model Y in its propulsion version currently priced from 45,990 euros, and only for models assembled in the Berlin-Brandenburg Gigafactory should be eligible. And even. Like other “Made in Europe” vehicles, its battery, which is assembled in China, could call into question its eligibility for the ecological bonus.
What about the ecological bonus for used EVs?
If the list of new electric cars eligible for the ecological bonus will shrink dramatically with the 2024 rules, the same is not true for used models. Indeed, they will still be able to benefit from the 1,000 euro bonus without these new constraints. To qualify, the used electric car must only have was registered for the first time at least two years agos. And here again, the vehicle cannot be resold within two years.
The end of local bonuses, or almost
In the wake of the now more restrictive ecological bonus, local aid will also change a lot in 2024, and not necessarily in a good way for buyers of electric cars. Indeed, some regions have simply ended the bonussuch as Bouches du Rhône which offered up to 5,000 euros for the cash or credit purchase of a new electric vehicle.
An approach which has the merit of being clear unlike that of the Ile-de-France region. Indeed, the latter also chose to complicate the situation, by going even further than the new rules of the 2024 ecological bonus. The announced objective is to integrate an “ecological” criterion which again resembles a protectionist measure, which risks not benefiting many people, and even less the environment.
First, part of the award criteria will be retained, and in particular the capping of the price of the electric vehicle at 47,000 euros including tax. The amount of the region’s premium will depend on the reference tax income with the following scale:
- 2,250 euros for a reference tax income greater than 30,508 euros
- 4,500 euros for a reference tax income of between 14,090 and 30,508 euros
- 7,500 euros for a reference tax income of between 6,359 and 14,089 euros
- 9,000 euros for a reference tax income less than or equal to 6,358 euros
On the other hand, the electric vehicle must have was assembled in a country of the European Union, with CO2 emissions of less than 110 g to produce 1 kWh of electricity. Last constraint and not the least, rental offers such as LOA and LLD are excluded. Thus, the list of eligible models is now limited to a handful of models manufactured in France such as the Peugeot e-308, the Renault Mégane e-tech or the Opel Mokka-e for example. From there to say that all these new measures risk put a big brake on sales of 100% electric cars in 2024, there is only one step.