Removal of the automobile conversion bonus: a hard blow for motorists
The government has announced its desire to reduce the budget intended for greening the vehicle fleet. The conversion bonus, which allowed motorists to benefit from aid of up to 5,000 euros for the purchase of a new car in exchange for the destruction of a polluting vehicle, is about to be abolished. This system, initially designed to accelerate the ecological transition by reducing CO2 emissions from cars in circulation, risks disappearing following the budgetary decisions planned as part of the 2025 Budget project.
The executive, in an effort to reduce public debt, has decided to reduce aid devoted to the purchase of less polluting vehicles. According to The Echoesthe envelope allocated to this aid will increase from 1.5 billion to 1 billion euros next year. While motorists could until now receive between 1,000 and 5,000 euros for the purchase of an electric or less polluting vehicle, this measure risks disappearing, potentially angering many drivers.
The drop in demand for the conversion bonus appears to have influenced this decision. According to government figures, between January and September 2024, only 45,000 files were submitted, a significant drop compared to 2023, when nearly 90,000 files were processed. The sums paid by the State are also decreasing, going from 233 million euros in 2023 to only 150 million euros this year.
The constraints of the 2025 budget
Faced with this trend, the executive has made a decision. Only two aids should be maintained to encourage the acquisition of electric vehicles: the ecological bonus, which will also be reduced (from 4,000 to 3,000 euros), and social leasinga system allowing you to rent an electric car at a lower cost. However, the latter is expensive for the State, with a budget of 650 million euros in 2024, for 25,000 files initially planned.
This decision is part of a broader strategy to rationalize public spending. The government, seeking to reduce the debt, must make budgetary choices, and ecology is no exception. “ Several sources confirm the non-renewal of the conversion bonus », specifies The Echoesdespite the numerous arbitrations still in progress. This removal is part of a broader plan aimed at reducing the budgetary impact of aid for the ecological transition.
Maintaining social leasing and the ecological bonus thus appears to be a compromise, even if these measures will also be affected by adjustments. For motorists, this reduction in aid will mean higher costs for switching to electric or hybrid vehicles, even as Europe encourages a rapid transition to cleaner means of transport.
