France is accepting new applications for social leasing of electric cars

The French social leasing program was launched in early 2024 and quickly ran out after only six weeks and around 50,000 approved leasing contracts. Then again, in July 2025, a new round of funding was announced. The German federal government is also considering a similar subsidy program for 2027.

But back to the current call for applications: as of today, September 30, 2025, applications for social leasing of electric cars are once again being accepted. This time, the budget amounts to around €370 million, which is significantly lower than the €650 million allocated last year. Nevertheless, the French government wants to achieve a subsidy of at least 50,000 electric cars again this time.

It has been stipulated that each new electric car will receive a maximum subsidy of €7,000 – in the first round of subsidies, the amount was €13,000. This should make it possible to lease all vehicles eligible for the subsidy program for less than €200 per month. There are around 30 models to choose from. The cheapest vehicles available are the Citroën ë-C3, Fiat Panda, and Hyundai Inster, each costing just under €100 per month. Volkswagen is participating in the program with the ID.3 for €139 per month and the ID.4 for €169 per month. Renault, in turn, offers the R5 from €120, the R4 from €155, and the Megane E-Tech from €195 per month in social leasing.

The leasing contracts run for three years. This includes a minimum mileage of 12,000 km per year. Maintenance costs and car insurance must be paid by the vehicle owners themselves.

Those eligible for social leasing include people with a reference income of less than €16,300 (last year: €15,400) who are employed and either commute at least 15 km to work in their own car or drive at least 8,000 km per year by car for work purposes.

This is above the minimum wage of €1,801.80 per month for a standard 35-hour week, which amounts to an annual income of €21,621.60. However, the reference taxable income is a special value from the French social security system that lies between gross, net, and taxable income. Children in the household are also taken into account. This means that, for example, a single mother who works full-time at minimum wage and travels the specified distances would be eligible. People with part-time jobs would also often be eligible for the subsidy. However, people who do not work, such as the unemployed and pensioners, are explicitly excluded.

automobile-magazine.fr, avere-france.org, ecologie.gouv.fr (all in French)

This article was first published by Florian Treiß for electrive’s German edition