Sales of electric cars in France continue to rise

PARIS: The market share of purely electric cars in France grew to a record 17 per cent last year, according to the latest figures from the French Automobile Federation (PFA), pointing to a steady rise in electric mobility, reported dpa news.

The share of hybrid vehicles in new registrations meanwhile climbed to 9 per cent, PFA figures on New Year’s Day showed. In total, the share of vehicles with electric drive now stands at 26 per cent, compared to 22 per cent in 2022 and 18 per cent in the previous year.

Overall, car sales in France picked up strongly last year. The number of new registrations of cars and vans rose by 16.1 per cent year-on-year and that of trucks by 11 per cent. However, at just under 1.8 million vehicles, new registrations of cars and vans were still well below the more than 2 million recorded before the coronavirus pandemic.

French citizens continue to benefit from government financial support when purchasing an electric vehicle in 2024. The broadcaster France Info reported that the total subsidy volume amounts to €1.5 billion (US$1.65 billion), €200 million less than in 2023.

However, the subsidy amount is set to be reduced from €5,000 to €4,000 (US$5,500 to US$4,400) for people with a good income, while it will remain at €7,000 for everyone else. The number of car models eligible for the premium will also be reduced, based on the vehicle’s carbon footprint and favouring models manufactured in Europe. -Bernama