Incentives for electric cars have proven fundamental in supporting the transition towards sustainable mobility, there is little objection to this. Even in our country. The Italian government has adopted a series of measures, such as the ecobonus, to facilitate the purchase of electric cars by citizens. There was also no shortage of tax incentives for companies that invest in electric cars, such as VAT reductions and relief on vehicle taxation. These measures, together with an awareness campaign on the environmental, economic and aesthetic benefits of these cars, have already started to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote more sustainable mobility. How will this trend continue in the near future? Let's take a closer look.
Ecobonus: if you don't pollute, you pay less
The car eco bonus it is a state incentive that provides a discount on the price of the car at the time of purchase. Starting from January 10, state eco-incentives for the purchase of vehicles with low environmental impact have resumed, according to the same methods as in 2022. Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM) of 6 April 2022 has redesigned and refinanced the State Ecobonuses, allocating 630 million euros per year for the next three years, i.e. until 2024. Thanks to this provision, consumers can benefit from incentives for the purchase of eco-friendly vehicles, contributing to reducing the environmental impact of transport and promoting sustainable mobility.
For the year 2023
If we consider the year that has just begun, the incentives include one maximum discount of 5.000 euros and a minimum of 2.000 euros, with a division into three bands depending on the level of emissions. These are discounts reserved for those who purchase a new car, whether electric, hybrid, petrol, diesel, LPG or methane, in the period between 1 January and 31 December 2023. To be honest, to date for the third band (cars with CO2 emissions between 61 and 135 g/km) are already all sold out. There were 150 million euros and they were enough for around 75.000 motorists. Customers who have an ISEE of less than 30 thousand euros and who, from 4 October to 31 December 2022, have purchased vehicles with CO2 emissions lower than or equal to 60 grams per kilometer can request an increase in the foreseen contribution.
For everyone else, green light again: arm yourself with patience (you won't need much but there is something to be said for it), get good car insurance at honest prices (a few examples? Zurich Connect, Verti, Allianz) and off you go. . Among these, in my opinion, the Zurich Connect discounts for electric car insurance or those of Generali Assicurazioni are quite interesting.
What to do to get it?
To access the new car incentives for 2023, just enter into a purchase contract between 1 January and 31 December 2023. Obviously, unless the funds run out. The car dealer or reseller will take care of everything, booking the contribution on the appropriate online platform, granting the customer the relevant discount and confirming the operation within 180 days from the opening date of the booking, i.e. by June 2024.
Here there is a little reasoning to do, for a "hitch" that also occurred in recent years. The time limit of 180 days (six months) may be too tight, considering the delay with which new cars are often delivered. To overcome the problem, it may be necessary to extend the registration deadline by up to 270 days, or nine months. This extension has already been granted by the Government in 2021 and 2022, but has not yet been extended to 2023. Stay connected, we will keep you informed.
The future of measures like this
As mentioned, the car Ecobonus is a truly important and incisive measure. Not decisive, but incisive. It is for users, for companies, but above all for our trajectory which aims to lower the environmental impact of vehicles. Consider the fact that of the 630 million disbursed in Italy, almost 50% are intended for exclusively electric cars: if this isn't a sign of attention, I don't know what is.
However, let's not have any illusions: the time horizon of this initiative, even if extended, may not go beyond 2025. This is not necessarily bad news, however. The production horizon of car manufacturers is changing rapidly, and will bring with it new materials, new models, new batteries. Continuous? New prices, above all. And purchase, rental and car insurance formulas for passengers.
Everything suggests that, over the years, these formulas will be more simply "absorbed" by the dynamics of a market that will become "normal": between now and 2050 a breaking point will arrive whereby buying a car will mean, with ever fewer exceptions, buy an electric. Point.
