Electric or petrol: what does owning a car in France really cost?

Français

Bonus écologique 2026 (France's EV purchase bonus): an incentive on a new electric car that is income-tested. The amount depends on your household's reference tax income per part (revenu fiscal de référence par part): €3,500, €4,700 or €5,700 for the most modest households, with a possible top-up (surbonus) if the battery is made in Europe (up to about €7,700 in total in the most favourable case). The vehicle must cost less than €47,000, weigh under 2,400 kg and score at least 60/80 on the ADEME environmental rating. Not every buyer qualifies — which is why we show this incentive separately and do not fold it into the totals above. Source: ADEME / service-public.fr, as of 1 July 2026. Check your eligibility and the exact amount before you buy.

Carte grise (registration) and annual costs: France has no recurring annual bonus to deduct for an electric car — the EV's advantage comes mostly from running costs (charging, maintenance). At registration, electric vehicles are exempt from the regional carte grise tax in most regions, and they escape both the CO₂ malus and the weight malus (France's emissions and weight surcharges). The prime à la conversion (scrappage bonus), however, ended on 1 January 2026: if you still read that it's available, it no longer is. We fold any running-cost saving directly into the running costs — never as a cash incentive. As of 1 July 2026.