Green bonus, aid for the acquisition of low-emission vehicles: what changes in 2023?

A decree dated 30 December 2022 amends the scheme for aid for the acquisition or rental of low-emission vehicles.

The eco-bonus is state aid for the purchase or rental of a vehicle. It may be an electric or hydrogen vehicle or a combination of both as an exclusive source of energy, new or used:

• car and van: electric, hydrogen or a combination of both, new and used;
• 2 or 3 motor wheels or motor quadricycle: electric, new vehicle only.

Its amount is determined according to the motorization of the vehicle and its purchase price.

A natural person can only benefit once every 3 years.

The new ecological bonus amounts in 2023

Only vehicles registered in France in a definitive series are concerned.

The eco-bonus applies to vehicles (passenger car and van category) that run exclusively on electricity, hydrogen or a combination of the two, and have a mass of less than 2.4 tons (for a new car). Vehicles of category M2 (N2 for vans) benefiting from a weight exemption, and having a total permissible laden weight of 3,5 tons or less, may also be eligible for the bonus.

The purchase cost of the vehicle (new car) must be less than € 47 000.

The amounts of the aid fixed at 1^er january 2023 are:

• For the purchase of new passenger car type vehicles, the amount of the aid shall be 27 % of the cost of acquisition, inclusive of all taxes, plus, where appropriate, the cost of the battery if it is hired. The bonus is capped at €5,000 for individuals and €3,000 for legal entities.
• For the purchase of new vans, the aid is fixed at 40 % of the cost of purchase, inclusive of taxes, plus the cost of the battery if hired, up to a maximum of EUR 6 000 if the vehicle is acquired or leased by a natural person, 4 000 € if the vehicle is acquired or leased by a legal person.
• For new 2- or 3-wheel motor vehicles and quadricycles which do not use lead-acid batteries and whose maximum net engine power is greater than or equal to 2 or 3 kilowatts, the aid is €900.
• For second-hand vehicles that use electricity, hydrogen or a combination of both as their exclusive energy source, the aid is set at €1 000.

To receive the ecological bonus, you can request that its amount be deducted from the invoice by the seller or the dealer, or you can make the request directly on the official website.

Conversion premium: new rules from 2023

The conversion premium, which may be added to the ecological bonus within the limit of the cost of the vehicle, is aid granted, on income terms, when buying or renting a low-emission vehicle in exchange for scrapping an old diesel or petrol vehicle. You can only collect it once.

Since 1^er january 2023, you have to have a rereference fiscal revenue per share of up to € 22 983 in order to benefit from it: above this threshold, there is no longer a premium for scrapping.

The conditions to benefit from it

Basic requirements are always required:

• be a natural or legal person domiciled in France;
• keep the new vehicle at least 1 year or drive a minimum of 6 000 km;
• scrap a petrol vehicle registered before 2006 or a diesel vehicle registered before January 2011 (Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 or unclassified).

New award criteria have been added since 1^er January 2023. As with the ecological bonus, a weight limit is now set. The vehicle to be purchased must not weigh more than 2.4 tons (excluding vans). On the other hand, it must not cost more than €47,000 (€50,000 for the van whose energy source includes petrol, natural gas, LPG, ethanol or superethanol). Finally, the scrapped vehicle will have to be destroyed in an approved VHU center (end-of-life vehicle) which will take care of recycling it. Destruction must take place within 3 months before or within 6 months after the purchase of the new vehicle.

Amounts of the car premium

• If your reference tax income per unit is less than €6,359, the premium amount is 80% of the acquisition cost, up to a limit of €6,000 for a car that uses electricity, hydrogen or a combination of the two as its exclusive energy source; €4,000 for a car whose energy source includes petrol, natural gas, LPG, ethanol or superethanol (Crit’Air 1 model).
• If your reference tax income per unit is less than €14,089 AND the distance between your home and your workplace is more than 30 km OR you drive more than 12,000 km/year with your own vehicle for business reasons: the premium is 80% of the acquisition cost, up to a limit of €6,000 for the purchase of a car that uses electricity, hydrogen or a combination of both as its exclusive source; €4,000 for a car whose energy source includes petrol, natural gas, LPG, or superethanol (Crit’Air 1 model).
• If your per-share benchmark tax income is less than €22,983 (this includes people whose per-share benchmark tax income is less than €14,089) but less than 30 km): the premium is €2 500 for the purchase of a a car that uses electricity, hydrogen or a combination of both as its exclusive source.

How do I get it?

You have two choices. Either the concession comes up with the amount and you don't have to do anything. Or you will need to apply online on the Ministry of Ecological Transition website. You have 6 months to do so from the date of billing or the date of payment of the first rent for a rental.

Carte grise You will need to provide three documents: the new vehicle, the scrapped model, and your bank identity statement (RIB).

The premium for electrical retrofit

Retrofit is a technique for transforming a thermal car into an electric car.

Retrofit aid is capped at €6,000 for a car:

• For individuals whose reference tax income per unit is less than or equal to € 14 089 and whose distance from home to work is more than 30 km or who carry out more than 12 000 km per year in the course of their professional activity with their personal vehicle.
• For individuals whose reference tax income per share is less than or equal to €6,358.

In other cases the aid is capped at €2 500 (for a reference tax income of up to €22 983).

The ZFE surcharge

If you live or work in a low-emission zone (EPZ), you can benefit from an additional premium of €1,000. Novelty: it is no longer necessary for the community to grant aid for the State to grant an additional € 1 000; you only need to live or work in one of these areas to obtain it. Thus, if this aid is combined with the aid of the local authority, the additional EPZ premium may reach EUR 3 000.

What about two wheels, three wheels and electric quadricycles?

If you opt for a two-wheel, three-wheel or electric quadricycle, you can receive a premium of up to €1,100, in addition to the ecological bonus, if your reference tax income per unit is less than or equal to €14,089. Beyond this income level, the aid is €100.

The conditions to be met in order to benefit from it:

• the vehicle shall be powered by electricity only;
• not use lead-acid batteries;
• be purchased or leased for a period of 2 years;
• be registered in France with a definitive number;
• have a power output of 2 or 3 kilowatts;
• be used for at least one year or travel 2,000 km before reselling.