Big cars, big taxes? The question agitated the National Assembly on Saturday October 26. By a singular addition of votes from the National Rally (RN), the Ciottists, the Republicans (LR), the socialists and the communists, the deputies deleted at first reading article 8 of the draft budget. The text increased taxes on cars that emit the most CO2, which are often the most expensive (1). This involved lowering the trigger threshold (113 gr/km in 2025, 106 gr/km in 2026, 99 gr/km in 2027) and increasing the maximum penalties from €70,000 next year to 90,000. € in three years.
The continuation of the parliamentary examination and the more than probable use of article 49.3 will indicate whether there is a reinstatement of this measure, which is accompanied by a tightening of taxation targeting heavy vehicles (lowering in 2026 of 100 kg – to 1.5 tonnes – of the threshold for triggering the “mass” penalty, with an additional cost of €10 to €30 per excess kilo).
A delay in ignition
“This would make this tax less symbolic,” rejoices Léo Larivière, expert at the NGO Transport&Environnement. But the response appears to be late, while SUVs today represent half of new vehicle sales in France. “The authorities did not perceive the consequences of this “SUVization” early enough in climatic, social and industrial terms (we favor value over volumes, at the risk of employment)”, he emphasizes. A delay in ignition confirmed to us by a ministerial source.
“Europe, too, did not react in a timely manner,” considers Léo Larivière. Manufacturers must gradually reduce the average emission rate of their vehicles, all engines combined. “But, under pressure from German manufacturers, it first modulated the emissions thresholds by taking into account the mass of the car. » Result, according to Renew MEP Pascal Canfin: “The first CO2 performance standards for thermal cars led to favoring SUVs. » Station at “don’t repeat the same mistake” with the battery regulation currently under discussion.
Ban SUVs from accessing the capital?
The response is also organized locally. Lyon and Paris therefore charge more for parking the heaviest vehicles. “But deterrence remains insufficient,” notes Ian Brossat. This communist deputy of Anne Hidalgo will ask the next Paris council to launch “a reflection to prohibit access to the capital for SUVs”. This senator is preparing a bill allowing municipalities that wish to take such a measure.
“SUVs have no real definition but form a very political category”, quips Jean Viard (2). The political scientist invites us to approach the question by taking into account the needs, rather than by wholesale stigmatizing their owners. “Using a four-wheel drive SUV when working in a mountain resort is not an aberration,” he maintains.
Better supervision of advertising
Managing Director of Plateforme automobile, which represents the automotive industry in France, Marc Mortureux pleads for nuance. “In France, the share of compact SUVs such as Peugeot 2008 or Renault Austral is 41% compared to barely 8% for large SUVs. And their success is partly linked to switching to electric : because they are raised, large batteries can easily be accommodated under the seats. »
And to insist: “The tendency to produce, in general, larger cars also results from the integration of new safety equipment made compulsory by European standards. »
But for Léo Larivière, manufacturers, on the lookout for more comfortable margins, are deliberately putting SUVs forward: “they represent around two thirds of advertisements”, he assures. And to plead for regulation upstream of their distribution, via an independent body.
(1) The penalty would however concern, to varying degrees, a majority of vehicles of all categories.
(2) The ecological individual, Ed. de l’Aube, 2024. 448 p., €26.
