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Electric cars continue to grow in popularity in France, exceeding a quarter of all registrations for the first time in November.
Data from Plateforme automobile (PFA), an organisation encompassing vehicle manufacturers and equipment suppliers, attributed November’s growth to the success of the government’s leasing social scheme, which relaunched at the end of September to help low-income households lease new electric cars.
The requirement for companies to include at least 20% of electric vehicles in their fleets has also buoyed sales.
Since the beginning of 2025, electric cars have accounted for one in five new registrations in France – another record after 17% in 2023 and 2024.
In France, help to buy electric cars changed in July when the government ceased the bonus écologique incentive, which provided up to €4,000 for eligible private buyers, in favour of a new scheme called the coup de pouce véhicules particuliers électriques.
The new incentive falls under the certificats d’économie d’énergie (CEE) scheme whereby French energy suppliers are obliged to fund or deliver energy-saving measures, such as electric vehicle incentives, to meet national efficiency targets.
Financial aid of €4,200 is available for low-income households and €3,100 for high-income households. The category applicants fall into will depend on their revenu fiscal de référence.
In order to qualify for the scheme, the electric car in question must cost less than €47,000 including the battery, and weigh less than 2.4 tonnes.
It must be new and 100% electric, be bought or leased for at least two years, and the person applying must be the first registered owner.
The vehicle must also have a suitable score environnemental, which is calculated according to materials used, manufacturing/assembly impact, battery production, and transport logistics to the point of sale.
The dealership selling the vehicle usually handles the paperwork for the grant, deducting it directly from the purchase price. If this is not the case then individuals can apply themselves, however they are advised to do so before signing the order for the new car.
Details of participating companies can be found at this list, which was updated at the end of October with 36 firms listed.
To benefit from the government’s leasing social scheme, your revenu fiscal de référence must not exceed €16,300, and you must travel at least 8,000km annually to and from work.
The scheme enables low-income working households to lease electric vehicles for three years at an affordable rate and with no upfront costs.
The amount payable each month will depend on the electric car model chosen, but it must be less than €200, excluding insurance and maintenance costs.
At the end of the three-year period, you may either return the vehicle or purchase it, with the location longue durée (LLD) effectively becoming a location avec option d’achat (LOA), but without the substantial initial payment typically required under LOA schemes.
To benefit, drivers must not have received (or be receiving) any other financial aid designed to help with the purchase of a new electric car (eg. the coup de pouce véhicules particuliers électriques).
Once you have established that you are eligible for the scheme, you can access it via participating car dealerships directly.
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