An ecological bonus and a social lease focused on models produced in Europe. This is the will of France, as Emmanuel Macron recalled this Monday, when presenting the main axes of “ecological planning.”
To continue benefiting from state aid, such as the ecological bonus, the conversion bonus and future social leasing, electric cars must now obtain a certain environmental score. The presentation of files will begin on October 10 before the public agency for the ecological transition, Ademe, with a list of models eligible for the 2024 bonus that must be communicated on December 15.
Waiting to meet the lucky ones, where are the 10 best-selling electric cars in France made since the beginning of the year?
A number one already very “made in Europe”
Number one in sales, the Tesla Model Y (22,443 units from January to August) has the particularity of being produced in two different factories, Berlin, Germany, and Shanghai, China. Since the beginning of the year, around 70% of Model Ys sold in Europe have been assembled at the Berlin factory, according to Inovev data.
To continue benefiting from the French ecological bonus, Tesla could further increase this “made in Europe” production rate… or not. In fact, if we do not know the current distribution of the versions produced in Berlin, only one currently benefits from the ecological bonus: the abbreviated “Model Y” (previously “Model Y Propulsion”) sold from 45,990 euros in France. The other versions (“Great autonomy” and “Performance”) effectively exceed the maximum limit of the ecological bonus set at 47,000 euros.
Three “Chinese” in the top 10
In the rest of the top 10 and if we take into account, therefore, that the Tesla Model Y is mainly produced in Europe, three models are assembled in China: the Dacia Spring (18,639 units), second, the MG4 (10,254 units), sixth and the Tesla Model 3 (10,152 units), seventh. High-volume models that should therefore lose access to the ecological bonus next year.
The other sales stars are assembled in Europe: the Peugeot e-208 (15,150 units) in Zaragoza (Spain), the Fiat 500e (15,145 units) in Turin (Italy) and the Mini (3,080 units) in Oxford (England).
There are even two “made in France” models: the Renault Mégane e-Tech (11,277 units) in Douai and the Renault Zoé (2,931 units) in Flins. The electric Renault Twingo (3,957 units) is assembled at the Novo Mesto factory in Slovenia.
What about the batteries?
If we assume that vehicles assembled in Europe will continue to benefit from the ecological bonus until 2024, the environmental score must also take into account the origin of the batteries. However, although the battery packs can be prepared on the mainland, the cells are still largely imported from China. We will see how this factor will be taken into account pending the rise of European gigafactories, including Douvrin in France, inaugurated at the end of May.
Source: BFM TV
