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Until recently you could lease: Tesla's Model Y
Photo: Tesla Inc.
That probably worked too well. The French government wanted to stimulate demand for electric cars among people who otherwise couldn't afford them and launched a program for low-income earners. Anyone who has an income of less than 15,400 euros per year and lives more than 15 kilometers from their workplace has been able to lease an electric vehicle since the beginning of 2024. This should then cost 100 to 150 euros per month.
But the offer didn't last long. On Monday, the French government said it would halt the program for the rest of this year after demand far exceeded original plans. The government had planned 20,000 leasing contracts for this year. The program will be restarted next year with 50,000 estimated contracts, the government said.
The program was originally supposed to start earlier, but was postponed to the beginning of this year because French car manufacturers were unable to provide enough vehicles eligible for funding.
The government also wants to boost the purchase of electric cars. It offers car buyers a financial incentive of 5,000 to 7,000 euros. This costs the tax authorities a total of one billion euros per year.
To be eligible for both programs, vehicles must meet carbon emission limits during manufacturing and transportation. This is apparently intended to ensure that cheap Chinese-made vehicles are out of the question.
The list of eligible models includes 24 models from the Franco-Italian group Stellantis and five models from the French car manufacturer Renault. Tesla's Model Y SUV, which is also manufactured in Grünheide (Brandenburg), is eligible, but not the Model 3 sedan.
fzs/Reuters