Goal declared by the French President Emmanuel Macron is making France one of the main protagonists, or even the absolute primattress of the European e-mobility scenario. To reach this ambitious achievement, the tenant of the Eliseo has recently announced the allocation by his Government of a total of eight billion Euros that, in intentions, are at least partially intended for boosting the sales of light zero-impact vehicles.
Like elsewhere, the slowdown that affected the automotive panorama even before the advent of the Coronavirus emergency has made its effect felt in transalpine territory. Here, according to some estimates, in March and April registrations reached the -90% negative peak overall, although electric cars seem to have limited damages, stopping the fall around -66%.
Therefore, the institutional financing is aimed at reviving the fate of industry in general and, however, Macron explicitly anticipated that in the next five years the Country is expected to be able to produce at least one million of full-electric or hybrid models yearly.
Until next December 31st, the Government’s incentive in favour of the purchases of electric vehicles by private buyers will rise from 6,000 to 7,000 Euros and other provisions have been drawn up to full benefit of corporate and commercial fleets – they will take advantage of a 5,000 Euros bonus – and plug-in. The latter will benefit from funds up to 2,000 Euros, provided that they can travel for 50 kilometres minimum driven by the electric power supply only and their list price does not exceed 50,000 Euros.
Clearly, the plafond is not likely to be accessible to all, since it will be limited to the first 200,000 models bought in the frame of this programme. However, there is something else. The French executive has fixed in 12,000 Euros the incentive in favour of all those who are going to scrap their old car to shift to a completely electrified four-wheeler.
A race to facilities is to be budgeted, since in 2018 a similar initiative, but based on a 2,500 Euro incentive, had resulted in the exhaustion of 45% of the available amount in less than five months. Going back to the project recently baptised by Emmanuel Macron, it was blessed by big French automotive companies PSA and Renault-Nissan – the latter beneficiary of an anti-crisis loan worth 5 billions by the Government – that, besides working at the respective development roadmap of electric vehicles, are planning the production of dedicated batteries in partnership with Total Group.
(Roberto Carminati)
