To benefit from the ecological bonus when buying an electric car, there were until now two conditions: the model had to weigh less than 2.4 tonnes and display a price of less than 47,000 euros. From 1er January 2024, the vehicle must also have an acceptable “environmental score”, i.e. the CO emissions2 generated for its production and its transport from the factory to the customer do not exceed a certain threshold.
The government’s objective is clear: “French taxpayers’ money is not intended to finance vehicles that are 70% from China “, repeats Bruno Le Maire since May. The Minister of the Economy therefore wants to give a boost to European production, which has a better carbon footprint, even if it means excluding popular models such as the very affordable Dacia Spring, the Tesla Model 3 or the Chinese MG4 from the bonus. The electric version of the BMW Mini would also be in the hot seat.
Bercy and the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe) have been working hard since the start of 2023 to develop this “environmental score”. The draft decree and order detailing its calculation were published on Friday July 28 and submitted for consultation. This ended on Friday August 25. More than 400 contributions have been submitted. The general assessments are rather positive.
“This eco-conditionality is going in the right direction, says Marc Mortureux, managing director of the Automotive Platform (PFA), which brings together the French sector (manufacturers and equipment manufacturers). We have always pleaded for the entire life cycle of the electric vehicle to be taken into account, and not just the emissions at the outlet of the exhaust pipe. This score will reward those who produce with less carbon energy. »
“A first brick, a concrete framework”
However, the PFA offers simplifications. Jean-Philippe Hermine, in charge of mobility at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), also supports the approach: “It’s a clear message to the consumer: you have to take into account the entire life cycle of the product if you want virtuous electrification. There will be criticisms of the methodology used, but it is a first brick, a concrete framework that allows us to move forward. » President of Hyundai for France, Lionel French Keogh, also understands the approach, but regrets that “the system is not immediately European” and questions its stability over time. The best-selling models of his brand will not have any eligibility problems: they are produced in the Czech Republic.
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