A new rule to embarrass even more Chinese electric cars

The calculation of the environmental score evolves. A very small change in semantics to prevent manufacturers from getting around a rule!

Since the end of 2023, eligibility for the ecological bonus has been subject to obtaining a minimum environmental score. This is based on the calculation of the carbon footprint of the production of the car, as well as its transport to France.

Clearly, it is almost impossible for brands to have the bonus if they do not produce in Europe. The state was aimed without hiding the Made in China models.

But some thought they had found the parade, starting with Stellantis. The latter is now the official distributor of Leapmotor Chinese models in Europe, starting with the Compact C10 SUV and the Citadine T03.

To have the bonus with the latter, Stellantis had the idea of ​​producing it in a Polish factory. Or rather to assemble the car from a kit from China! The large elements of the car are thus always made in its country of origin.

A small ruling by which the State wished to end. A decree published this January 24, 2025 in the Official Journal indeed changes the method of calculating the environmental score. With a simple change, which comes down to a word!

Indeed, the decree replaces the definition of the assembly site with the concept of manufacturing site, “in order to include, beyond the final assembly as defined currently, the steps of stamping, assembly, assembly From the box in white and protection and painting for the realization of the relevant assembly box of the vehicle version ”.

And to avoid another diversion, the decree specifies the rule: “In the event that these stages are carried out in several industrial sites, the manufacturing site selected is that which leads to the calculation of the total carbon footprint of the reference vehicle higher ”. Clearly, continuing to make songs in China is not the right idea!

It should be noted that stamping is the step during which the steel and aluminum coils are transformed to form the stamped parts intervening in the assembly stage of the box in white of the reference vehicle.

While the bonus had never been validated for the little Leapmotor, it is therefore now impossible by keeping this assembly process. Chinese brands that thought they had a bonus by producing this way in a European factory are also warned!

However, brands can always have an advantage to be assembled in Europe: avoid the import on the import of Made in China electric vehicles. This will be the case soon for the Volvo Ex30.

The brands concerned will have to provide new documents! The decree indicates that when they are more advantageous, the rules of departure remain applicable until April 7, 2025 included.

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