Electric cars and incentives: a guide to the Ecobonus 2020
The measures introduced in the summer saw the 2019 fund refinanced, thus allowing to provide a bonus ranging from a minimum of 6,000 to a maximum of 10,000 euros on the purchase of electric cars – an excellent incentive to boost the spread of electric mobility.
The number of electric cars in Italy is increasing rapidly. Despite the months of lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, 17,549 zero emission cars were registered from January to September this year, compared to 7,712 in the same period last year. That corresponds to a growth of 127.6%, and the state incentives introduced by the Ecobonus for sustainable mobility are one of the factors influencing the rise.
The history of the Ecobonus
The fund was made available for the first time with the 2019 Budget Law and the subsequent decree, passed on 20 March 2019. After the success of the Ecobonus at the start of 2020, when 25 of the 40 million euros set aside for the first tranche (out of a total of 70 million for the entire 2020) were used in the first two months of the year, the fund has been refinanced and confirmed through Italy’s so-called Relaunch Decree.
As well as increasing the money set aside – an additional 100 million euros in 2020 and 200 million in 2021 – the total bonus amount for those buying an electric car also grew as a result of combining the two measures (the 20 March 2019 Decree and this year’s Relaunch Decree). In addition, a number of regional and municipal funds for the purchase of electric vehicles are still available and can be used to top up the state-offered benefits.
The benefits of electric mobility
The impact of incentives at this time is highly significant for the electric car market. MOTUS-E underlines the importance of using direct purchase subsidies as a means of supporting a technology that is considered particularly relevant from an environmental perspective – thus stimulating not only the growth and spread of products, but a new mobility culture.
How the incentives work
A closer look at the incentives reveals how those for fully electric cars are the most substantial. In order to be eligible, the car you want to buy must have CO2 emissions of between 0 and 20 g/km and a purchase price, including accessories (but not registration tax or services to make the car roadworthy), that must not exceed 50,000 euros, excluding VAT.
If you purchase without scrapping a vehicle in the Euro 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 category registered before 1 January 2010, the bonus is 6,000 euros (1,000 of which in charge to the dealer). If scrappage of a vehicle meeting the above characteristics is included, the bonus rises to 10,000 euros (2,000 of which in charge to the dealer). As mentioned, the amounts above come from combining the incentives set out in the two separate measures.
Who they are for
The incentive is intended both for private customers and for business customers – which means it can also be used when the purchase is made with a VAT number registered either to a single person or to a company. The incentives are also valid when purchasing through a finance agreement.
Customers don’t get involved with paperwork, they simply need to go to a dealership, which will take care of the administrative requirements by connecting to the Ministry portal and submitting the request. When ordering the car, the salesman will book the bonus and then, within 180 days, the transaction has to be confirmed by disclosing the new car’s number plate and attaching the necessary documentation.
Source: Ecobonus MISE