Bonus and Conversion Bonus 2023: Everything Changes on January 1!

The bonus amount for purchasing a new electric car varies depending on your income, and the conversion premium has been eliminated for the wealthiest.

We were eagerly awaiting the new rules for the 2023 ecological bonus in automobiles. But we didn’t realize to what extent it would change, and that the conversion premium would also be subject to new conditions! The government has just published the new measures in the Official Journal on December 31. Here’s everything you need to know.

A bonus of €5,000 to €7,000 depending on your income

As expected, the ecological bonus has decreased from €6,000 to €5,000. This applies to the purchase of an electric or hydrogen car with a maximum price of €47,000. This differs from 2022, when a lower bonus of €2,000 was available for prices between €47,000 and €60,000. Note that leasing (LLO or LOA) must consider the vehicle’s catalog price.

However, the €5,000 bonus is not for everyone. Indeed, lower-income individuals can get an additional €2,000 bonus, totaling a €7,000 bonus in total. Article D 251-1 of the Energy Code states that people with a reference taxable income (RFR) of less than €14,090 are eligible.

Regarding electric quadricycles, such as Citroën Ami, Aixam e-City or Estrima Biro, the bonus remains at €900.

Some special cases

Newly, the bonus is not available for an electric vehicle weighing more than 2,400 kg (2.4 tons). To our knowledge, no model currently falls under this rule. The heaviest vehicle under €47,000 is the Volvo C40 Recharge (2,095 kg).

Note that the bonus is actually 27% with a cap of €5,000. This percentage applied only to the Dacia Spring in 2022, but since its price of €20,800 now yields a bonus exceeding the cap. Therefore, the bonus for this electric car decreases from €5,616 in 2022 to €5,000 in 2023. However, the €2,000 increase is still possible for this vehicle.

With the new €47,000 cap, hydrogen-powered cars are no longer eligible for the ecological bonus. The two available models, Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo, cost €72,250 and €80,400 respectively.

Another special case, battery-leasing Vinfast vehicles must include the cost of the battery for bonus calculation. The Vinfast VF8 Eco priced at €46,050 cannot qualify for a bonus, as with the battery the total price is €62,200.

An electric conversion premium abolished for the wealthy!

A completely new measure for 2023, the conversion premium is no longer available to everyone! At least not for the purchase of a new or used electric car, as this was already the case for vehicles emitting more than 50 g/km of CO₂. Therefore, only individuals with a reference taxable income (RFR) less than or equal to €22,983 can benefit from the scrapping bonus.

Of course, it is still necessary to scrap an old diesel vehicle from before 2011 or a petrol vehicle from before 2006. The amount is actually higher, rising to a maximum of €6,000, compared to €5,000 previously! Below, we include the amounts for the bonus when purchasing hybrid and thermal vehicles.

The new schedule of the 2023 conversion premium

*including hydrogen vehicles, up to a maximum price of €47,000, or 80% of the resale price.

**€6,000 if the commuting distance exceeds 30 km or annual mileage exceeds 12,000 km.

***or 132 g/km CO₂ if the vehicle is registered more than 6 months ago.

Also read: Public transport: what to expect in 2023!