Although the social leasing scheme will officially launch in early July, car manufacturers are already gearing up. The brands within the Stellantis group have registered 12 models, which will be available to lease from €94 per month. Orders can be placed from 1 June. This third government initiative, aimed at making electric cars more accessible, could also be extended to include used cars from next autumn.
Leasing returns in early July
The Citroën e-C3 epitomises the success of the social leasing scheme launched by the government in 2024, with the aim of enabling as many people as possible to access electric mobility at affordable rates. As a reminder, the scheme aims to offer long-term leases on new electric cars for less than €200 per month (excluding insurance) to motorists with a taxable income of less than €16,300, subject to travel conditions. It is funded by a €400 million budget derived from Energy Saving Certificates (CEE). From 1 July, the government is relaunching this social leasing scheme for a third round, and manufacturers are gearing up to attract customers to their showrooms.
The economic climate is becoming very favourable for electric vehicles
During the last scheme, which ended in late 2025, 50,000 households were able to take advantage of these heavily discounted offers, but the enthusiasm had not been as widespread as hoped. This year, with soaring fuel prices and a growing range of small electric models, the situation is very different. For many, this is an opportunity to make the switch to electric vehicles and be less affected by fluctuations in energy prices. The decree setting out the conditions and the minimum annual mileage has not yet been published.
From €94/month for the Citroën ë-C3
Ahead of the official announcements, Stellantis has already published a list of 12 cars available for pre-order from Monday 1 June. These include the Citroën ë-C3, the ë-C3 Aircross, the Peugeot e-208, e-2008 and e-308, the Opel Frontera and Corsa, as well as the Lancia Ypsilon and the Jeep Avenger. The Franco-Italian-American group has even announced a starting price: from €94 per month for the Citroën ë-C3 (the battery capacity remains to be seen: 30 or 44 kWh?). At the previous event, half of the cars leased were Stellantis models.
The Fiat 500e for €99 a month (second-hand)
Stellantis is also going a step further by extending this leasing scheme to cover some of its used cars. Recognising that those benefiting from the initial 2024 leasing scheme may not necessarily be able to renew their vehicle at the end of the lease, the group is introducing its own scheme to extend or buy out the leased cars.
Through its Spoticar network, Stellantis is now offering used electric vehicles for lease (with a €2,000 deposit). For example, the Fiat 500e is available from €99 per month. This presents an opportunity to reduce stock levels, as the Italian model, which is very expensive when new, is struggling to find buyers on the second-hand market.
Special offers for certain professions
Recently, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to making car leasing available to professions for which a car is essential but costly to run (with fuel costs accounting for up to 20% of income). The aim is to create a fleet of 30,000 electric cars for home care workers, for example. Stellantis will be setting up partnerships with home care and support services (SAAD). Employees, home carers and personal carers will thus be offered tailored preferential deals. For example, a 17% discount has been announced on the Peugeot e-208 Allure.
50,000 new EVs and even more used ones?
Whilst we await the official announcement of the income thresholds and the government’s list of eligible vehicles, Stellantis’ announcements already give a clearer picture of this 2026 leasing scheme, which is set to cover 50,000 new vehicles but is expected to benefit even more households. This support is gradually taking the form of an incentive to persuade new motorists to switch to electric vehicles, but it is also a way for brands to clear and manage their stock.
It is worth noting that the government aims for two out of every three new cars to be electric by 2030. This target implies a threefold increase in the market share of electric vehicles, which has only just passed the 20% mark of the new car fleet.
