It has been several years since ZFE came into force first in Paris, and then in many large cities in France. The principle is quite simple and is based on the Crit’Air sticker. If the car has an inflated license plate, that is, too old, then it cannot drive in the zone. The policy apparently caused widespread controversy, which the government finally decided to abandon. The latter wanted to receive all cities with a population of more than 150,000 to become a ZFE by 2025. Much to the relief of motorists worried about the measure, it will finally be no more.

WARNING! Since 2015 and the appearance of Crit’Air vignettes, traffic restrictions apply to certain vehicles in large cities. Shall we summarize together? 🚙 #MyMoreResponsibleProject

– Postal Bank (@LaBanquePostale) August 30, 2022

Real impact?

But was the implementation of low-emission zones really implemented? impact on car sales, and especially on occasion? That’s the question asked by AAA Data, which has just published the results of its latest study. And this is quite nuanced. Note that few drivers have opted for a used EV, as the green Crit’Air sticker represents only 1% of sales since the beginning of the year. Vignette 1 is slightly more successful, with 30% of sales, while this one is insurance to drive for a long time in big cities. But there is something strange.

Thumbnails 2 and 3 rated

Indeed, the Crit’Air vignettes 2 and 3 accounted for 36 and 22% of sales respectively, while they will be in the hot seat for the next few years. However, comparing with previous years, we note that car sales take 1st place constantly growing, both in Paris and in the rest of France. During this time, vignettes 2 and 3 lose momentum, and the electric ones are still stagnant. However, the emergence of new used models may change the situation in the future.

Read also:
ZFE: What are the penalties for not complying with the restrictions?
ZFE: new restrictions in some cities
ZFE Speed ​​Cameras: Watch Out, They’re Coming!