France announced a new “social leasing” program to improve the accessibility of electric vehicles in the country. This groundbreaking program enables low-income drivers to lease a battery-powered model for as low as €40 starting January 1, Electrek reports.
France’s new EV program
French President Emmanuel Macron initially introduced the new social leasing program in October 2022, as per CarScoops. The government released more information about the program in October 2023, with the President targetting a monthly lease of €100/month.
However, it seems that electric automakers successfully lowered that figure even more. Apart from the low monthly fees, the program also excludes the need for a down payment owing to the government’s subsidization.
Eligible drivers can also benefit from complimentary charging for six months in some cases.
Included EV models
As expected, the social leasing program prioritizes electric vehicle models produced in France and Europe. It also gives a major favor to smaller EVs, Motor Mouth noted.
French automaker Renault’s new Twingo E-Tech will benefit from the lowest €40/month social leasing. More importantly, it already covers maintenance, assistance, and free charging for six months.
The Citroën’s ë-C3 will be on offer at only €54/month. Meanwhile, interested drivers can lease the Fiat 500e for €89/month.
Opel will also lease its Corsa-e for €94/month, while Peugeot also announced that the E-208 model will be available for €99/month. Refer to the table below for more information:
| Model | Monthly Payment |
| Twingo E-Tech | €40 ($43) |
| Citroën ë-C3 | €54 ($59) |
| Fiat 500 | €89 ($97) |
| Opel Corsa EV | €94 ($103) |
| Peugeot e-208 | €99 ($108) |
| Opel Moka EV | €119 ($130) |
| Citroën e-C4 | €129 ($141) |
| Jeep Avenger | €149 ($163) |
| Peugeot e-2008 | €149 ($163) |
How to qualify?
Drivers interested in accessing the social leasing program must not exceed the annual income cap of €15,400 ($16,815), falling €5,000 below the country’s minimum wage. They must also consume over 8,000 km (4,971 miles) annually. In addition, their workplace must be at least 15 km (9 miles) away from their house.
Eligible drivers can benefit from a three-year lease contract, covering insurance costs and cancellation in case of death, disability, or unemployment. They can also decide if they want to buy the leased electric vehicle after the contract.
All that said, France’s social leasing program is a crucial part of the government’s efforts to achieve its target of at least 1 million electric vehicle production by 2027. In the same year, it also aims to launch four battery factories in the country.
