In France in 2023, there are several aids when buying a car. Of course, there is a system of bonuses, intended only for electric cars, the price of which does not exceed 47,000 euros. The amount of the bonus is 5,000 euros, or even 7,000 euros, depending on the declared tax income.

In addition, there is a conversion bonus of €2,500 (combined with the environmental bonus for electric vehicles) for the write-off of an old Crit’Air 3 or older vehicle (diesel first registered before 2011 or petrol first registered before 2006) to facilitate the purchase of a new one electric or Crit’Air 1 vehicle.

Too much and not targeted help?

This purchase assistance, which will surely disappear with the democratization of the electric car, makes it easier to renew the car fleet, but according to a recent study by Opinionway for Aramis, most French people, especially the modest majority, hopefully this assistance will not be focused only on electric vehicles.

Today, according to this study, low-income households feel lost among affordable devices (74%). Between social leasing (which is hard to come by), environmental bonus revised upward, weight penalty, reduction of CO emission threshold₂ or a conversion bonus, these procedures are considered too complicated for 7 out of 10 respondents.

As mentioned in a previous thread on Auto Plus, the majority of respondents (54%) even confirm this a system of social leasing of electric cars for 100 euros per month would not be enough to convince them to take a drastic step towards electric cars..

The study highlights the fact that 70% of them believe, for example, that they simply will not be able to benefit from it, even though President Emmanuel Macron announced during his previous presidential campaign that “half of the French will benefit from this”.

Too much for the electrics, not enough for the occasion?

Generally speaking, these electricity subsidies are contested, as 8 out of 10 low-income households believe that they should apply not only to the purchase of electric cars (79%).

60% even believe that public authorities cannot subsidize the purchase of an electric car, especially since most of these models are classified as SUVs or high-end sedans. More upscale than the French car fleet today, if anything.

In this context, used vehicles, which 53% of respondents consider more reliable, more ecological (65%) and less expensive (74%), are considered as an alternative to new electric vehicles. 84% even for the establishment by state authorities of a subsidy for the purchase of a car of this category.

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