French social leasing: 41,500 applications after four weeks

The first French social leasing programme, introduced at the beginning of 2024, ended quickly after just six weeks and around 50,000 approved leasing contracts. A new funding round kicked off at the end of September and received a similarly enthusiastic response as the 2024 edition.

According to the French government, there are already 41,500 applications for the “leasing social de voitures électriques”, as the scheme is officially called. The programme will continue until 50,000 subsidised electric cars have been leased – a threshold expected to be reached soon, as the 2024 timeline showed when the budget was exhausted after six weeks.

The government is now setting up a waiting list so that dealers can continue to accept social leasing orders once the 50,000-application limit is reached. If orders are later cancelled or applications deemed ineligible, people on the waiting list can be considered. This list will be updated in line with cancellations or invalid applications. When an application on the waiting list becomes eligible, the dealer will be informed and can proceed with delivering the vehicle.

According to the French government, more than 35,000 applications were submitted in the first week alone – hardly surprising, as the new funding round was announced back in July. Eligible French residents thus had time to consider whether to apply and which model to choose.

Around 30 models are available under the scheme. The most affordable electric cars include the Citroën ë-C3, Fiat Panda and Hyundai Inster, each available for just under 100 euros per month. Volkswagen is participating with the ID.3 at 139 euros and the ID.4 at 169 euros per month. Renault is offering the R5 from 120 euros, the R4 from 155 euros and the Mégane E-Tech from 195 euros per month under the social leasing scheme. The manufacturers receive substantial support from the French government to make these low monthly rates possible.

Eligible households must include at least one working person and have a reference tax income of less than 16,300 euros per person. They must also commute at least 15 kilometres to work by car or drive at least 8,000 kilometres per year for professional purposes. The reference tax income is a specific calculation method that also takes into account household dependents such as children. The programme primarily targets part-time workers and single parents.

ecologie.gouv.fr (in French)

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