Climate bonus for cars - a win for big cities

Those who buy a car with low carbon emissions receive a climate bonus of up to SEK 60,000, and almost no vehicle tax at all. For company car drivers it is about reduced benefit values, and reduced tax for the employer.

The OAG has calculated a number of different climate car models and has concluded that they cost the state between SEK 115,000 and 151,000 per car in subsidies.

But the difference is big between company car drivers and private individuals. The National Audit Office's calculations show that the state gives 40 percent more support to a preferential car than the corresponding private car.

- There is no indication that it would be effective for the climate to favor a special group of car buyers in the way it has become. We believe that the government should review the need to reduce the benefit value for environmental cars, says Cecilia Kellberg, Audit Director at the OAG.

The current system, called bonus malus, has been in effect since mid-2018. The OAG has reviewed all environmental car premiums and other measures to increase the proportion of environmental cars since 2006. The audit shows that it is five times more expensive to reduce emissions in this way than with carbon dioxide tax.

Governments have also failed to follow the guidelines when making decision bases and calculating consequences. Nor before the introduction of the current system.

- It's serious. Above all, it is noteworthy that environmental impacts are not fully elucidated when the very purpose is to reduce emissions, says Cecilia Kellberg.

The report also shows that 84 percent of the current climate bonus goes to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.

Only 0.1 percent goes to "very remote rural municipalities". The city residents also pay more malus, ie the extra high vehicle tax on cars that emit a lot of carbon dioxide. But the net benefit to the city residents anyway.

- More money goes to the big cities, even if you take into account that there are more people living there. Nor have we seen that effect that the government has counted on, says Cecilia Kellberg.