€1,000 grant to buy second-hand electric cars in France

A decree has now come into effect that will allow anyone residing in France to a €1,000 discount when buying a second-hand electric car.

This grant formerly only applied to new cars.

The new aid, which can be combined with the prime à la conversion (conversion bonus), is granted for any purchase of an electric vehicle that is at least two years old.

Which cars are eligible for the discount?

The discount applies to the purchase of a passenger car or light commercial vehicle (such as a van) with CO2 emissions of less than or equal to 20 g CO2/km.

To date, electric and hydrogen cars are the only ones to meet this criteria.

The date of first registration of the vehicle must be at least two years.

The grant can apply to cars that are bought or leased.

How to get the grant

If you buy directly from a dealership, the dealer will apply the bonus directly to the customer and will themself claim the amount back from the Service and Payment Agency (ASP), which manages the payment of this new bonus.

If you buy privately, the process will be more difficult as you yourself will have to apply for the grant, via the ASP’s website. Currently, the process and terms have not been made available on their website.

Combining it with the conversion bonus

The prime à la conversion allows owners of old, polluting cars to trade them in for cleaner, electric or hybrid cars, new or second-hand.

The new €1,000 grant can be combined with the prime à la conversion.

The conversion bonus means people can receive up to €3,000 for the purchase of a new or second-hand thermal vehicle and up to €5,000 for the purchase of a new or second-hand electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Follow this link to see if you are eligible for a prime à la conversion (website in French).

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