The possible increase in the fine for the most polluting cars would be a “hidden tax” for motorists and a threat to the industry, denounced this Tuesday the president of the Automobile Platform, Luc Châtel.
According to the newspaper “Le Monde”, Bercy plans to once again tighten the scale of ecological sanctions. If vehicles emitting more than 118 grams of CO2 per kilometer are taxed from January 1, 2024, this scale could be reduced to 106 grams in 2026 and then to 99 grams the following year.
Most cars with thermal engines would thus be subject to taxes, including urban ones, which would encourage sales of hybrid and electric models, which are less polluting.
“If what has been circulating for several days is true, that is, that we increase the fine per car in the proportions mentioned, we are going to tax people who are going to buy small vehicles,” declared Luc Châtel on Classic Radio.
great danger
“It is a tax on motorists that is being prepared,” said the president of the Automotive Platform, which brings together companies in the sector.
“French automobile culture is in great danger,” says the former Minister of Industry and National Education.
The automobile market remains “particularly low”, with -11% registrations in September. “We have not yet returned to the pre-Covid level of activity,” stressed Luc Châtel.
Furthermore, “sales of electric vehicles are no longer progressing enough, at the risk of penalizing manufacturers who have invested hundreds of billions, since they will have to pay fines at European level, which is absolutely surreal”, considers the president of the EU. PFA.
“We are on the eve of extremely serious situations in the automobile industry,” says Luc Châtel. The automobile industry “is going badly” and “we have the impression that politicians are looking the other way”, there is a lack “both at French and European level of a long-term policy” on this industry.
Source: BFM TV
