New ecological bonus: the government provides details on its application

2024 will mark the introduction of a new ecological bonus. A few months before this deadline, representatives of the executive have just revealed the details of this future version. After a public consultation organized from July 28 to August 25, things will go quickly, very quickly. The texts concerning the implementation of this measure will in fact appear… starting tomorrow, September 19.

This concerns the decree relating to the principle of the reform and the calculation methodology decree. Because an environmental calculation will be put in place to grant this bonus. The latter will be controlled by ADEME (ecological transition agency). It will take into account emissions of pollutants during production.

For this purpose, a platform will be set up on October 10. The latter will be aimed at manufacturers and will allow them to submit a file concerning their vehicles. Five major topics will be covered. This will concern information about the vehicle (range, number of seats, etc.). They will also need to provide details about the materials used, the battery, the place of composition and the breakdown of the logistics plan between this place of production and that of sale.

800,000 tonnes less CO2 equivalent

These files will then be judged by ADEME, in order to determine whether or not the vehicles in question are eligible for the bonus. To do this, you will need to collect a score between 60 and 70 at least (out of 100 points) although this has not yet been completely decided. However, government representatives estimate that this should avoid 800,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. A “resolutely environmental reform”. The Minister of the Economy, Bruno le Maire, details in a press release:

“Thanks to this reform, we will stop subsidizing electric vehicles which have a poor carbon footprint (…) Which should result in a reduction in the French carbon footprint of 800,000 tonnes per year and will make it possible to promote the the most virtuous, most carbon-free industrial production. It’s a common sense measure.”

This work is expected to take a little over two months. The decree concerning the list of models eligible for this new bonus is in fact expected on December 15. Note that the battery should represent around 30% of this carbon footprint. However, no criterion will be completely eliminatory and everything will be examined on a case-by-case basis.

The government reassures on the panel of selected vehicles

Representatives of the executive assure in any case that these criteria will leave a wide choice of cars for households. Even though 80% of electric vehicle batteries are produced in China. A territory which will undoubtedly be particularly impacted by this decision.

There is therefore no “no need to worry about the number of cars concerned”, according to government officials. They paid attention “to keep enough vehicles, so that households retain choice.”

The objective, however, is to encourage manufacturers “to modify their mode of production, to move towards something more virtuous”. For this, the representatives hope “a complete transfer of individuals towards the most virtuous vehicles financed by the bonus”. This is also evidenced by Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister of Energy Transition:

“The energy transition must make it possible to create factories and industrial jobs in our territory. This is essential for it to be profitable for all French people. By imposing an environmental criterion on the ecological bonus and social leasing, we are giving a advantage to French and European companies which make the effort to reduce their environmental footprint.”

The method of calculating the new ecological bonus may evolve

Note that it is already of public utility that the calculation method will evolve, from 2025 or 2026. The repairability of the battery, the use of recycled plastics or biological materials in the vehicle will be taken into account.

In the meantime, it will already be a matter of implementing this new bonus and the controls that will go with it. State representatives also point out that this could lead to criminal charges in the event of false declarations. The authorities also want to be confident about the solidity of the system in the face of appeals that could be brought. But in “in the event of an appeal, we would have to go to the outcome to draw the consequences”.

It remains to be seen how this will evolve, while the European Union is also working on the production of “greener” batteries. Remember that each year, the ecological bonus amounts to around one billion euros. A third of this amount is used for vehicles “bad carbon footprint”. Note that government representatives also refused to comment on the amount of the bonus, which could change in 2024.

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