The government has decided to put an early end to the social leasing system for the purchase of electric cars, launched with fanfare at the start of 2024. Victim of its success with low-income households, this promising program comes up against the production limits of French manufacturers.
Social leasing: An unexpected popular craze
Who would’ve believed that ? The social leasing system for electric vehicles, presented as THE solution to democratize clean cars, is attracting much more than expected. While the government expected 25,000 requests in 2024more than 50,000 low-income households have already taken up positions in just a few weeks, forcing the government to put an end to the quota initially planned.
But this success is not such good news. The dealers have also expressed their concerns on the subject and the Government seems to have listened to them. At the same time, it must be said that the executive was far from imagining such popular enthusiasm and found itself unable to cope with the demand.
National manufacturers struggling
On the manufacturing side, it’s a cold shower. Only vehicles produced in France or in Europe are eligible for the system which provides rental assistance of up to €13,000 per file. Issue, French brands like Renault or PSA are struggling to respond to the sudden explosion in demand.
As a result, many households risk not obtaining a vehicle before the anticipated end of the system at the beginning of 2024. An untenable situation for dealers, forced to withdraw due to lack of visibility on order books.
Affordable electric sacrificed
Direct consequence of this fiasco : the much-promised affordable electric remains a dead letter. Of course, the government is already talking about a new system for 2025. But there is no indication that the production problems will be resolved by then.
Above all, between now and the launch of this hypothetical “social leasing 2”, aid for the purchase of electric vehicles risks melting like snow in the sun. To compensate for the unforeseen additional cost of the 2024 system, the ecological bonus should be severely reduced in 2024.
We will have to rebuild a solid strategy, with realistic objectives and resources that match the stated ambitions. Otherwise, the energy transition risks leaving even more motorists on the side of the road. This promises lively debates in the coming months.
A bit of a geek and passionate about new technologies, I bring you the hi-tech news of the moment but not only that… I am closely interested in current affairs and I love analyzing it. So I do everything possible to make it understandable for everyone. I believe journalism must go beyond the facts, adding passion and thoughtfulness to truly engage and enlighten.