France Encouraging Diesel Drivers To Go Electric Via €10K Incentive

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Starting in April, France will encourage diesel drivers to replace their oil burners with electric power through an incentive up to €10,000 ($11,422 USD).

Automotive News Europe the incentive would help “convince buyers to try an electric car,” per a Renault representative. The automaker’s Zoe would leave the showroom with a price of €12,400 ($14,203) instead of €22,400 ($25,658), while its partner Nissan would see a drop from €18,090 ($21,650) to €14,390 ($16,483).

France Energy Minister Ségolène Royal says the nation “must eliminate old diesel cars that are more than 13 years old and have no filters,” adding that measures will make diesel “harder and harder” to use overall.

One measure in particular would align diesel taxes with those of gasoline. The alignment would help reduce smog, according to Royal, stating that “60 percent of the French population breathes air that isn’t healthy.”

At present, 80 percent of all French drivers move about with diesel power, though new-diesel sales have declined over the past two years, from 73 percent of all new cars to 64 percent.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • Sector 5 Sector 5 on Feb 07, 2015

    Merde! That bernie dutch government must be raking in the debt. What with this and all the extra terrorism security costs.

  • JD321 JD321 on Feb 07, 2015

    The French are just bratty parasitic monkey-children, aka Socialists. Almost as bad as the Greeks.

    • Lie2me Lie2me on Feb 07, 2015

      Yeah and they're rude and eat snails and stuff

  • DenverMike DenverMike on Feb 07, 2015

    Because diesels have dirty, disgusting, cancerous emissions that kills babies before they're born. Of course I'm not talking *new diesels*, but how do you pry the old, paid for, and simple/dead reliable, pre emission diesels out of owner's loving hands???

    • See 1 previous
    • DenverMike DenverMike on Feb 07, 2015

      @Lie2me No doubt. But why not just say that? While admitting promoting diesels was a stup!d, horrendous mistake?

  • DenverMike DenverMike on Feb 08, 2015

    The move to blindly increase FE with absolute zero concern for the heath of French and Euro nations is biting them in the A$$. The push for EVs is political on many levels, but mostly an attempt to undo the LITTLE mistake that likely kills more Europeans than cigarette smoke, before they figure it out.

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