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A new social leasing scheme for electric vehicles is now available in France, as part of the government’s plans to encourage drivers to switch to electric.
‘Social leasing’ is a scheme in which drivers on low incomes can set up a long-term ‘rental’ of a new electric car, with a view to replacing their main combustion vehicle with an electric one.
The scheme came back into force from September 30, the Ecology Ministry states, as part of a ‘certificats d’économie d’énergie’ programme.
Drivers pay a low amount per month to rent and use the car, and pay nothing else upfront (except for the mandatory insurance policy), making it more affordable than if they bought the car outright.
It comes after the government first launched a social leasing scheme for electric vehicles in 2024, which was so popular that it had to close early after 50,000 people signed up between January 1 and 15.
To be eligible for this new leasing scheme, you must:
Have an annual taxable income (revenu fiscal de référence) of €16,300 per year or less
Be aged at least 18 years old
Have a valid driving licence
Be domiciled in France
Live more than 15km away from your workplace and use your personal car to commute there and back, or
Use your personal vehicle to travel more than 8,000km per year for work purposes
Not have benefited from the electric vehicle leasing scheme of 2024
If you do not work, you must hold an ‘attestation sur l’honneur’ that you can show, to prove that you are claiming the relevant benefits for the current year, states the Ecology Ministry.
The amount payable each month will depend on the electric car model chosen, but it must be less than €200.
Each car operator to participate in the scheme must have an option that costs €140 per month or less, and offer at least 30% of their social leasing vehicles at this cost.
Some vehicles will be available from as little as €95 per month.
No upfront or excess costs are payable, although drivers must have mandatory insurance that covers at least third-party damage to drive the vehicle.
Drivers are also responsible for paying for their own charging costs, and ensuring that the car is maintained to a legal standard on a day-to-day basis.
If maintenance of the vehicle is included in the leasing contract – which it can be in some cases as an optional extra – then the total amount payable per month can exceed €200.
The amount you will pay for electric charging at home depends on your electricity contract tariff (although some providers claim to offer favourable rates designed for electric vehicle drivers).
The Ecology Ministry states rates of:
€3.50 per 100 km when on a regulated electricity contract, for the most popular electric vehicles
This makes the cost per kilometre low compared to combustion vehicles, the ministry states, estimating a cost of €11 per 100 km for E10 petrol, and €8 per 100 km for diesel.
When it comes to public charging, the amount will vary depending on the company and the speed of the charging station.
As of August 2025, the average price was €0.38 / kWh for a normal charge (22kw)
€0.49 / kWh for a fast charge
No. To benefit from the scheme, drivers must not have received (or be receiving) any other financial aid designed to help with the purchase of a new electric car (e.g. the ‘coup de pouce véhicules particuliers électriques’, which replaced the bonus écologique).
Drivers must lease the car for at least three years. There is also usually the option to lease it for longer than this, and you can arrange to buy the car later if you wish.
The contract includes a minimum of 12,000 km per year in the vehicle (without extra fees), but each agreement will also specify a maximum number of kilometers permitted.
The contract can be ended early in certain conditions, such as the driver suffering a serious injury, losing their job, death, or another ‘force majeure’ event.
The scheme initially aims to make more than 50,000 vehicles available, of which at least 5,000 cars will go to people who live or work “in areas where air quality needs to be improved”, the Ecology Ministry has said.
Once you have established that you are eligible for the scheme, you can access it via participating car dealerships directly.
Head to the participating dealership or operator that offers your chosen electric vehicle, and explain that you wish to benefit from the leasing social scheme.
Brands to offer vehicles as part of the scheme include (clicking on each link will take you to the manufacturer’s own social leasing page, not affiliated with Connexion):
BMW
Citroën
Dacia
Fiat
Ford
Hyundai
Peugeot
Renault
Toyota
Volkswagen
Other brands include Jeep, Kia, and Skoda, and more information on these can be seen on the Ecology Ministry page.
The scheme also allows drivers to trade in their existing combustion vehicle, meaning that they no longer need to arrange for its sale or disposal themselves.
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