Tougher ecological penalty: major blow for petrol and diesel cars

© Unsplash/Aleksandr Popov

Bad news all around for motorists. The presentation of the draft finance bill (PLF) for 2025 includes in particular a reduction in the ecological bonus and a higher ecological penalty that will affect petrol and diesel vehicles. In any case, let us remember that despite the announcements of the Executive, the State will also help less when purchasing electric cars. Let's take stock.

Increase in the ecological penalty

This is the announcement that has left its mark. The cost of most thermal vehicles will thus be increased. The government specifies in this regard: “To encourage the energy transition of the vehicle fleet, the penalties on CO2 emissions applicable to passenger vehicles will be increased”.

According to estimates by Mobilians, a trade union that represents the interests of thousands of traditional service stations, and the Dataneo firm, the share of vehicles affected by this penalty will increase from 40% in 2023 to 80% in 2027, for an average amount that will increase from 754 euros in 2024 to 2,524 euros in 2027. Enough to bring in 300 million euros to the State next year, specifies Libération. Let's add that hybrid vehicles, which escaped the latter, will now be affected by this penalty.

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And for electric cars?

The Executive boasts about its efforts in favor of the electrification of cars in France. But the figures are rather stubborn. Indeed, this draft budget provides one billion euros to help with the purchase of this type of green vehicle compared to 1.5 billion in 2024.

The government anticipated the criticism and defends itself: “Thanks to economies of scale and progress on batteries, the cost of electric vehicles is falling, and their share of sales is increasing dynamically (nearly 20% in 2024 compared to 10% in 2021), thus reducing the need for subsidies” . The fact remains that these decisions are unlikely to please everyone and will surely be the subject of very tense debates within the National Assembly, which should have the final say.

Is the State making a mistake ?

Finally, let us recall that this reduction in the ecological bonus is quite worrying. As our colleagues at L’Argus point out, 40% of the increase in the market share of 100% electric vehicles could be explained by the implementation of the ecological bonus system alone, according to a report dated June 2024 and published by France Stratégie, an expert and forecasting organization reporting to the Prime Minister. With barely 2.2% of the share of electric vehicles, there is still a long way to go and the start of a disengagement by the State therefore seems largely premature at this stage.

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