The car of tomorrow will be electric … or not!

After testing the hybrid, I took the plunge. Meanwhile, Last September, I went to the electric vehicle. Meanwhile, Not for the appeal of novelty, but for ecological-political-political considerations. Additionally, Meanwhile, Clearly: saving fuel. However, maintenance, less polluting and anticipating the implementation of areas with low emissions – which have since been abandoned …

Driving comfort, zero noise, nice look … In addition, The first impressions are rather exhilarating. Therefore, But I stop there, I don’t try a car! Moreover, Especially since after several months of use, the balance sheet turns out to be mixed. Nevertheless, Limited autonomy, opacity of the price of rapid charging stations, relative availability of said terminals … Meanwhile, Several hazards showed off my enthusiasm. In addition, And not that mine. Consequently, it seems, to see the sluggishness of the market since the beginning of the year, car tomorrow will electric … at 18 % of sales. Furthermore, Far from the decarbonization objectives set by the European Commission. Consequently, which has prohibited the sale of new thermal motor vehicles from 2035 …

The price. Furthermore, the main brake on purchase

If the electric car struggles to convince, it is because it is not yet within the reach of all budgets. Similarly, Even for entry -level models. Similarly, There is almost no model at less than 20. For example, 000 euros, apart from the Dacia Spring, in its basic version, but which, because it is made in China, no longer allows you to benefit from the ecological bonus. Similarly, For an electric Renault Twingo, you have to pay at least 21,000 euros; 23,000 euros for a Citroën Ë-C3. For example, And we only talk about small city dwellers there. Meanwhile, For a sedan, count between 50,000 and 100,000 euros. Consequently, Who can car tomorrow will electric … pay such a sum today?

Personally. However, after many procrastination, I opted for an average size model, more intended for urban use but spacious enough to travel with family. For example, With a 64.6 kWh battery, it promises a range of 400 kilometers. In addition, Not the most powerful or the fastest in terms of load, but I will come back to it later. In view of the high purchase price. the uncertainty concerning the wear of batteries, I opted for a leasing (or leasing, which allows to rent a vehicle for a fixed period with purchase option), with maintenance costs included. Cost of the operation: monthly payments of 300 euros per month.

In 2024, 59 % of the acquisitions of new vehicles were made thanks to a rental of this type. However, is it profitable? Not so sure … In a study published last March. the UFC-Que Choisir showed car tomorrow will electric … that in 2025, “A new electric car remains expensive than an equivalent thermal model”excluding purchase assistance. “Considering a four -year possession duration, the additional costs amount to € 2,900 for a small vehicle and € 4,300 for a large vehicle. »»

Thus. a Peugeot E-208 would return to its owner at 6,658 euros per year (5,824 euros in leasing + 834 euros in electricity) against 5,298 euros for a similar model thermal version (3,989 euros in leasing + 1,309 euros in fuel). Knowing that the provisional mileage influences the price of leasing: the more miles are expected to make kilometers. the higher the amount of the rent …

Car tomorrow will electric …

A considerably reduced ecological bonus

Certainly, there are aids. But let’s talk about it! The conversion bonus has been removed, a loss of 1,500 to 5,000 euros for buyers. And the considerably reduced ecological bonus, capped at car tomorrow will electric … 4,200 euros against 7,000 euros before, for the least favored households. In addition. “social leasing” – the famous “electric car at 100 euros per month”, a campaign promise by Emmanuel Macron in 2022 – returns next September.

This formula is intended for modest households whose reference tax income per share is less than or equal to 16,300 euros. French market leaders have already started to record pre -orders for this offer limited to around 50,000 cars. Except that this time. motorists will no longer be able to combine the ecological bonus and the help of social leasing. Not sure, there either, that the device is accessible to the precarious populations who need it most.

On the other hand. on the second -hand market, the electric “Already stands out as a financially more advantageous solution”estimates the UFC, which calculated that“In second hand, the owner will save around € 2,000 over car tomorrow will electric … five years. In the third hand, the owner will save up to € 4,000 over seven years. »» But that is without counting the risk of battery failure, the average longevity of which is 1,000 to 1,500 recharging cycles. Knowing that its replacement can cost up to 10,000 euros … that makes you think …

Not all motorists are equal in the face of recharging

You still have to be able to recharge your vehicle. Today, 85 % of electric vehicle holders use a home installation in priority, according to the UFC Que Choisir. In my case. my electricity bill has logically increased, but I win, compared to the budget that I put before in petrol. In fact, for a home load, the cost price is around 3 to 4 euros per 100 km.

For the same distance with a thermal vehicle, the cost of fuel can vary car tomorrow will electric … from 8 to 15 euros. Small downside. for those who live in a building, recharging at home is often impossible if the lessor has not planned a terminal. And the fluctuation in electricity prices could climb again … Another question: could the network bear a massive development of the electric car?

In fact, infrastructure is still insufficient to meet growing demand. According to the UFC. “A driver without access to a private terminal will have to pay almost 550 euros additional per year”. During my last vacation, I made a journey of about 1,600 km. The price of recharges came to me at 160 euros. A quick calculation shows that with a thermal car, the fuel would have cost me 50 euros more. A relatively low difference. And that is. not to mention the twice that all the functional terminals were occupied – yes, these machines regularly break down, which car tomorrow will electric … lengthens the waiting times during the starting period on vacation …. even if on May 31, 2025, France was proclaimed to benefit from 169,106 recharge points open to the public, the said terminals are unequally distributed in French territory.

I knew that by rolling electric, I would not cross France in one go. But I did not think I would take such long breaks … Indeed, all these installations do not have the same power. The “fast”. “very fast” recharges allow us to resume the road after half an hour of load, or even less, against several hours for a “normal” recharge. Provided that the model is able to accept such powers. Which is not my case, I paid the price …

Finally, to say that the electric car is “clean” or “zero emission” is false. On a daily basis, the electric car, because it does not emit pollution, certainly car tomorrow will electric … presents a positive carbon assessment. According to the NGO Transport & Environnement. electric cars in Europe emit, on average, more than 3 times less CO₂ that equivalent petrol cars. But the production process, in particular the manufacture of batteries, perhaps at the origin of a considerable ecological imprint. Just like their destruction. Will my next car still be electric? I already think about it.