Ecological penalty 2025: up to €70,000 in fines!

The 2025 finance bill proposes a crackdown on thermal vehicles that will escalate until 2027 via the ecological penalty.

We can definitely speak of the burial of thermal vehicles and a technological era change. Thus, the 2025 finance bill presented this Thursday, October 10, 2024, by the Barnier government, will see the price of fossil fuel cars skyrocket. A decision that should easily replenish state coffers… when the trimming of the ecological bonus will no longer empty them! But what will be the consequences for the industry and employment in France?

Since the beginning of 2024, new vehicle sales have noticeably declined (-1.8%) compared to 2023, as consumers are confused.

The reduced ecological bonus?

The Barnier government has specified that the budget for the ecological bonus for electric cars will first decrease by 500 million euros per year, dropping from 1.5 to 1 billion euros. It is the manufacturers, both French and foreign, who are upset because this will represent a loss of revenue for them. They will have to lower their prices, and perhaps the consumer will end up paying no more.

Nothing is official yet regarding the ecological bonus for 2025, but according to our information, the amount should drop from 4000 to 3000 euros and only be available for electric vehicles costing less than 43,000 euros (or even 40,000 euros according to other sources). This will force manufacturers to reduce their margins. WARNING: The government is considering a financial resources ceiling to qualify for the aids, which could have a significant impact on Tesla and other premium manufacturers.

The ecological penalty skyrockets!

Starting in 2025, the triggering threshold for the ecological penalty will drop from 118 to 113 grams of CO2/km, reflecting a sharp decrease of 5 g/km. In 2026, the value is already announced: -7g, resulting in 106 gr/km. The same applies in 2027, reaching 99 g/km. In short, no 100% thermal car, including the lightest city cars, will escape this. It will be mandatory to own a very economical hybrid. It is currently estimated that 40% of cars are subject to the penalty, and this will rise to 80% in 2027.

In 2023, the government is estimated to have collected around 630 million euros from penalties and aims for 2.21 billion euros in 2025, 3.3 billion euros in 2026, and finally, 4.45 billion euros in 2027… if the market does not continue to plummet, which is unlikely.

Note that the penalty ceiling will rise from 60,000 to 70,000 euros starting in 2025, followed by an additional 10,000 euros in 2026 and 2027, reaching 90,000 euros! The “pleasure” car will also be condemned to disappear very quickly.

The weight penalty becomes even stricter!

Finally, because money needs to be found everywhere, the weight penalty will also see its triggering thresholds trimmed from 1600 to 1500 kg starting in 2026 (and not 2025). However, starting in 2025, it is rumored that plug-in hybrids with an electric range exceeding 50 km will no longer be spared. They will simply benefit from a deduction of 200 kg, which means 1800 kg in 2025, then 1700 kg in 2026.

>> UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT PENALTY <<

AND YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE MEASURES AND ARE YOU CONSIDERING ANTICIPATING THE PURCHASE OF A CAR TO ESCAPE THESE DECISIONS?

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