Social leasing boosts France’s private EV market

In January, France registered a total of 33,302 new battery-electric vehicles, marking a 50% increase in a new car market that otherwise declined across all drive types. As a result, the share of electric vehicles among all new registrations rose to 25.3% in January. In other words, one in four new vehicles in France was a BEV. These figures were published by the organisation Avere France.

“The year 2026 began with an exceptional January,” stated Clément Molizon, General Delegate of the organisation. “The momentum observed since September 2025 continued, driven in particular by deliveries under the 2025 social leasing scheme. The electric share in the private passenger car segment alone rose to 28.6%.” Molizon also emphasised that January stood out significantly compared to previous years, with “an unprecedented volume of registrations for the start of the year, increasing by more than 50% compared to January 2025.”

To break down the figures: of the 33,302 pure electric vehicles (including 30,594 passenger cars and 2,708 light commercial vehicles) registered in January, nearly half were purchased by private individuals (48.8%) and businesses (51.2%). In the private car segment, BEVs accounted for 28.6% of all new registrations, meaning more than one in four cars in this segment was fully battery-electric. This represents a remarkable year-on-year growth of 53.6%, outpacing the overall electric vehicle market.

The primary driver of this surge, as previously mentioned, is the electric vehicle subsidy programme ‘leasing social de voitures électriques.’ The second round concluded in January, and the registrations from this programme are now gradually being reflected in the statistics. Specifically, 50,000 vehicles were approved in the second round. Leasing rates range from €95 to €195 per month, depending on the model, and require no down payment. These low rates are made possible by a subsidy of up to €7,000 per vehicle, which is deducted from the monthly leasing price. In the first funding round, the subsidy was even higher, at €13,000. Combined, the two funding rounds have enabled France to provide 100,000 low-income earners with affordable access to an electric car.

The most popular electric vehicles registered in France in January were the Renault 5 (4,009 units), the Renault Scenic (1,954), and the Peugeot 208 (1,666). However, the Skoda Elroq (875) achieved the highest growth rate, as it was eligible for the social leasing scheme alongside models such as the Peugeot 2008 and the Volkswagen ID.4. Notably, the top seven models are all French brands, with Volkswagen’s electric models ranking eighth and ninth.

In addition to the 33,302 pure electric vehicles, 5,112 plug-in hybrids (+2.8% year-on-year) were registered in January, increasing the share of plug-in vehicles in France’s overall market to 29%. However, part-time electric vehicles account for only a relatively small market share of 3.9%.

avere-france.org (in French)