Emmanuel Macron's promise during the 2022 presidential campaign, social leasing allowing you to get behind the wheel of an electric car for around €100/month, was presented yesterday, and the least we can say is that it allows brands to offer attractive deals, especially for Citroën, which is offering great deals on the new C3 and C4.
Social leasing interesting but limited
Yesterday, the President of the Republic unveiled the outlines of his social leasing scheme, which aims to offer 100% electric cars accessible to low-income households.
Thus, the offer is reserved for households whose income does not exceed 15,400 euros per tax share (i.e. 30,800 euros per year for a couple without children and 38,500 euros per year for a couple with one child, for example) AND who either work more than 15 km from home or travel more than 8,000 km on business. In theory, this offer is aimed at several million French people, but the logistics and availability of vehicles will limit the number to around 20-25,000 in 2024, before doubling this figure in 2025.
Under this social leasing scheme, the French state will provide up to €13,000, including the bonus and the personal contribution, so that those who qualify can drive a new electric car without having to pay a penny in advance. This social leasing offer is based on a mileage of 12,000 km per year and a duration of three years, which can be extended. To check if you are eligible for this new social leasing system, you can go to the My Electric Leasing website.
Among the 22 brands that will be available in this system, the Stellantis Group is the one that has made the greatest effort with exceptional offers, especially for Citroën, which is offering unique offers.
Accessible Citroëns
The Group announced the eight cars to be offered under the government's social leasing scheme, including two Citroëns.
Thus, the new Citroën ë-C3, recently presented and scheduled to be marketed in March, whose selling price is €23,300, will be available for the sum of €54 per month, making it the electric car in segment B, the most accessible of this system, but also of the market, since the new conditions of the ecological bonus exclude the Dacia Spring, which will therefore be more expensive than the latest small Citroën.
In addition to the new C3, this is another Citroën that presents a single price. The C4, the herringbone brand's compact sedan, is available from €129/month, making it by far the most accessible electric compact sedan in this range, as the Renault Mégane is sold from €150/month.
With these two offers on the C3 and C4, which are the cheapest in their segment, the brand is keeping its promise to make electric vehicles accessible.
Stellantis points out that for even easier electrification, the group offers the charging station without specifying whether it is included in the offer or not. The system also applies to second-hand cars and in this context, Spoticar, the Group's second-hand label, offers a complementary offer for those looking for even more accessible vehicles.
In conclusion, Emmanuel Macron's promise is being kept or even surpassed, as it was kept at €100/month and the offers go well below that, as the C3 from €54/month shows. Sure, the 2024 model will be available to relatively few people, but it has the advantage of really allowing people on low incomes to get behind the wheel of a new electric car, while giving Citroën a great opportunity to offer these models at great prices, which should help them in terms of sales.