French €6,000 electric bonus stays

Drivers buying new electric cars will continue to benefit from a special bonus for the next four years as the government bids to increase sales from the present 31,000 a year to 150,000 by the year 2022.

State support for households buying an electric vehicle comes in the form of a bonus that reduces the price by €6,000 and the government has promised to maintain this benefit at a “significant level” and publicise it fully until 2022.

It is also investing in fitting recharging stations or bornes and says there will be 100,000 across the country by 2022, up from the present 22,000 in 7,242 sites to power the 115,000 vehicles on the road.

Progress in battery technology has halved costs giving extra range, averaging 250km, with an 80% recharge in 30 minutes.