Bonus-malus (France)
France's emissions-linked car purchase costs: a CO2-based malus tax at first registration, and a purchase aid for electric cars that replaced the state bonus in 2025.
France ties car-purchase costs to emissions. The malus is a one-off tax paid at first registration in France. For a car approved under European rules, the amount depends on its WLTP CO2 g/km figure and a scale set for the registration year. Electric and hydrogen cars are exempt. A separate tax on mass in running order also applies at first registration; exclusively electric cars are exempt from it too.
The bonus half changed in 2025. The ecological bonus, a state payment toward new low-emission cars, has ended. From 1 July 2025 the "coup de pouce" premium replaced it, financed through energy savings certificates rather than by a state payment. As of September 2026, the official page lists these conditions: a new electric car costing €47,000 or less including any battery, a mass in running order of 2,400 kg or less, and an environmental score of at least 60. The amount depends on household income.
Because scales and conditions are revised often, a French list price is only the starting point. Check the current malus scale for the registration year, and the current premium terms, on the official French government sites before budgeting.
Differs by market
Applies to the FR market. The malus is set by registration year, so check the scale for your car's registration year. As of September 2026, the state-paid ecological bonus no longer exists; its successor is financed through energy savings certificates.