According to information from the newspaper Les Echos, the government is preparing to tighten car penalties linked to weight and CO2 emissions. Several simple hybrid models will be affected from 2024. As for electric SUVs, they could be in the crosshairs from 2025.
Since January 2022, the government has introduced a new penalty for the purchase of a new car, this time based on weight. Currently, all cars weighing more than 1800 kg are taxed at €10 per additional kilogram. For the government, it was above all a measure to divert the French from SUVswhose disastrous ecological impact has been proven on many occasions.
However, as you may know, the government plans with the 2024 budget to put motorists to work again… By increasing penalties on the purchase of new cars. According to exclusive information from the newspaper Les Echos, the first elements have just fallen. First of all, the executive would plan to further reduce the threshold of the penalty to weight.
The weight penalty threshold revised downwards from 2024
As mentioned above, this measure currently penalizes vehicles weighing more than 1800 kg. From next year, this threshold would be lowered to 1.6 tonnes. According to the newspaper, the government planned to go even more, namely 1.5 tonnes. But this would have impacted the models of certain French manufacturerslike the Peugot 5008 or the new Renault Espace just launched by the diamond brand (some versions will however be affected).
From what we know, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will still not be affected by the weight penalty in the PLF (Finance Bill) of 2024. However, things could change from 2025 if we are to believe an industry player quoted by Les Echos. “However, the government planned to freeze the principle from this PLF, with a multi-year perspective that would start in 2025″, he explains.
Electric and hybrid cars spared… for now
The idea would therefore be to target large electric SUVs as a priority., which weigh insanely heavy due to the huge on-board battery packs to deliver consistent battery life. Nevertheless and on this point, the editorial staff of the newspaper obtained contradictory information. Indeed, several manufacturers have stepped up to denounce the potentially catastrophic impact of this measure on sales of electric cars, already at half mast in Europe. The government would therefore have abandoned the matter. To confirm.
As for the penalty on CO2 emissions, the threshold will be lowered again next year. Thus, it should drop from 123 g/km to 118 g/km (note: this threshold has dropped by 5 g/km per year for several years). As a reminder, the ecological bonus will now be subject to certain conditions in 2024, the idea being to favor electric cars manufactured in France and Europe.
Source: Les Echos