Introduced to encourage the purchase of so-called "clean" vehicles, the scrappage premium is granted by the State to motorists who get rid of their old diesel or petrol vehicle. An old car is often considered to be particularly polluting, so the conversion premium is granted to encourage the acquisition of a clean car to replace the old one. But what does the scrappage premium really consist of and how to benefit from it?
A simple but practical principle
In a context where environmental protection is paramount, the use of non-polluting and hybrid cars is encouraged. Thus, motorists who purchase a new car that emits little CO2 are rewarded, while those who choose a polluting model are punished. The scrappage bonus is open to all French citizens of legal age and domiciled in France. To benefit from it, you will have to exchange your old car for a car with low CO2 emissions.
The vehicles affected by the scrappage premium are petrol engine models built before 1997 and diesel cars before 2021. It does not only apply to the purchase of a new car as you can also benefit from it when buying a second-hand car (with Vignette Crit'air guaranteeing a CO2 emission of less than 117 g of CO2/km).
How much is the premium?
Regardless of whether the car you buy is equipped with a petrol, diesel or electric engine, the amount of the scrappage premium is defined by the CO2 emission rate per kilometre. According to the scale imposed by legislation, the ecological bonus is set as follows: 0 to 20 g/km is worth €6,000 of bonus. However, the limit is set at 27% of the purchase price.
Conversely, an ecological malus penalises recent cars (registered from 2004 onwards) and polluting cars (with a CO2 content of more than 116 g CO2/km). When buying a new electric vehicle, you should know that it is also possible to combine the scrappage bonus with the ecological bonus in order to benefit from more financial aid.
How to benefit from the scrappage bonus?
If you buy your new vehicle from a dealer, this professional will advance you the amount of the scrappage bonus and then take care of claiming it from the relevant authorities. You will therefore not have to worry about the application process. Otherwise, you will have to make the application yourself. Contact organizations such as the ASP [Agence de services et de paiement] or the Fonds d'aide à l'acquisition de véhicules propres.