The ecological penalty, a tax system aimed at penalizing the most polluting vehicles, will be tightened from January 2025. The French government thus intends to encourage the transition to more environmentally friendly vehicles, while generating significant tax revenue.
A gradual reduction in emissions thresholds
From January 2025, the CO2 emissions threshold which triggers the ecological penalty will be lowered to 113 grams per kilometer, compared to 117 g/km currently. This measure is part of a government project aimed at supporting the energy transition of the vehicle fleet, with multi-year objectives.
The tightening does not stop there: the threshold will be lowered further in 2026 to 106 g/km, then to 99 g/km in 2027. This progression is designed to gradually encourage motorists to opt for less polluting vehicles. These adjustments represent a significant step towards reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars in circulation in France.
For drivers, this means a direct increase in the cost of purchasing many vehicles. From 2025, a buyer of a car emitting 113 g/km of CO2 will have to pay an additional penalty of 50 euros. This tax will increase depending on the level of emissions, with amounts reaching several thousand euros for the most polluting vehicles.
A considerable financial impact
The strengthening of the ecological penalty will have a significant impact on the finances of motorists, but also on those of the State. The government anticipates an increase in tax revenue, with forecasts of 2.21 billion euros from 2025, compared to 630 million currently. In 2027, this figure could rise to 4.44 billion euros.
Another additional measure concerns the vehicle weight penalty, which applies to the heaviest models. Currently triggered from 1,600 kg, this threshold will be lowered to 1,500 kg in 2026. The objective is to target larger vehicles, often more fuel-intensive, to encourage them to reduce their environmental footprint.
These tax increases are seen as a way of discouraging the purchase of vehicles that emit high amounts of CO2, while encouraging consumers to turn to more ecological solutions, such as electric or hybrid cars. However, for a large proportion of motorists, this will represent a significant additional financial burden.
