EV for 100 euros a month: Can Luxembourg copy France's success?

A brand-new electric car for just 100 euros a month? At the beginning of January 2024, France introduced the "Location sociale de voitures électriques" (social rental of electric cars) – and it was a great success. Within six weeks, 50.000 households had already ordered their electric car – exceeding the French government's expectations twice over. The newspaper Le Monde reported that households were able to rent small cars or family cars for 100 to 150 euros a month. Following a second wave last year, which was much more restrained but achieved its goal, Paris plans to continue the programme in 2026. This is according to reports in several French car magazines.

The French success also caused a political stir in Luxembourg. In the coalition agreement, the CSV-DP coalition had already indicated in 2023 that "all citizens [should] have the opportunity to switch to zero-emission mobility" (tous les citoyens devront avoir la possibilité de passer à une mobilité zéro-émission). Just one year later, it included "social car leasing" in the catalogue of measures in the new national energy and climate plan (PNEC) towards climate neutrality, which was launched in 2024. At the beginning of the year, Serge Wilmes (CSV), Minister for the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, confirmed to virgule.lu: "In order to make electric mobility accessible to all, the government will introduce social leasing for the most vulnerable households in particular." It is unclear whether it will be presented this year. One thing is certain: it is "one of the main measures" (Wilmes) of Luxembourg's social climate plan in the transport sector. All EU member states must adopt such a plan so that low-income households are not left behind on the road to climate neutrality (see info box).