LThe electric vehicle, which has long remained a niche market, is now in a growth phase and, according to the government, the subject of ambitious support from the public authorities in view of the ban on the sale of vehicles new thermal engines in 2035. Ambitious support, really? Although manufacturers are putting more and more models on the market, support for households and supervision of the sector remain incomplete.
However, there is urgency, as this transition induces entry costs for households that are much higher than those of thermal vehicles, itself already subject to a very marked inflationary spiral since 2020. The purchase price of an electric vehicle is 25% higher than its thermal equivalent, and therefore excluding by nature for many households. The second-hand market usually plays a valve role, allowing the acquisition of vehicles at lower cost (82% of consumers acquired their vehicle second-hand in 2023). However, for electricity, this market is still embryonic.
Added to these purchasing costs is an unconsolidated and far too complex charging market. There are numerous mobility and charging station operators and the rules for transparency and price display are very imprecise. Due to a lack of sufficient regulation, room has been left for abuse and price slippage, while the use of an electric vehicle already implies a significant change in behavior on the part of consumers (use of terminals, range management of the vehicle, planning long distance journeys, etc.).
These two aspects (cost of purchasing an electric vehicle and price of charging outside the home) are two sides of the same coin: that of consumers’ legitimate questions about moving towards electric. Wanting to accelerate the transition of the automobile fleet without measures specific to supporting households only sends them counter-signals and undermines their confidence in this new technology, which nevertheless carries advantages, notably in terms of the lower total cost of use, the reductions in emissions and reduction of noise pollution.
Short-termism and sectoral interests
One of the levers of action that the government is depriving itself of is the mobilization of the private sector, which is still fragmented due to the reluctance of political decision-makers to make courageous decisions. Companies represent 60% of new vehicle registrations in 2023 but electrify, proportionately, less than individuals. It is a problem. The reduction by parliamentarians of the ambition of the proposed law on the electrification of professional fleets to create a future second-hand market shows that the public authorities are still giving in to short-termism and sectoral interests. However, there is an urgent need to develop a robust second-hand market, financially supported by public aid (conversion bonus, ecobonus, etc.) and made reliable, in particular through a battery capacity certificate.
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