Penalty tax on heavy, dirty cars

New year, new restrictions for French drivers, especially those who drive heavy, polluting cars. Since January 1, the government has changed the ecological penalty, a tax on big, CO2-emitting cars, to include a lot more ICEs, even some of the most popular ones.?

From January 1, drivers of cars emitting 118 g/km of CO2 pay €50 (about $55), and that goes up rapidly with higher CO2 emissions, with a maximum of €60,000 ($65,590). For cars weighing 1,600 kg/1.6 tonnes or more, the charge will be between €10 and €30 per kilo.?

A lot of vehicles will be affected, including the entry-level Peugeot 208, priced at €19,200. The 1.2 PureTech 75 hp version emits 120 g/km, which is a €100 fine. It's the same with the Dacia Sandero SCe 75, which costs €11,990 and comes with a €100 penalty.

There's already a penalty tax on large, heavy combustion vehicles since 2022. Cars weighing more than 1,600 kg are now included, which includes SUVs and bigger cars - AND that tax gets added to cars already over the CO2 limit. Excess weight between 1,600 and 1,799 kg costs drivers €10 per kilo. Vehicles over 2,100 kg pay an extra €30 per kilo in tax.?

For this year at least, hybrids won't get penalized for their extra weight. No hefty electrics or plug-in hybrids. Fuel cell electric (FCEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are exempt from CO2 and weight penalties. For the latter, range in the city must exceed 50 km, or about 31 miles, which basically excludes no cars. Discounts are also available for big families who need big cars.?

France's president Emmanuel Macron has already announced incentives to get people to switch from Chinese models to European and French ones, including a new lease scheme that costs €100 a month. Additionally, the French government is giving cash incentives to first-time EV buyers if they buy cars made in the EU. The whole point of a penalty tax is to limit the number of polluting cars on the road, as well as to drive consumer behaviour, to encourage the automobile industry to develop new cars. So, it works as a double whammy to drive consumers to EVs, preferably made in Europe – and that’s why it works. At least that's the idea.

By the end of 2027, France plans to make over 1 million electric cars. The country isn't just focusing on cars: It has a €700 million package to boost commuter trains so fewer people drive cars, electric or otherwise.

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