France Will Lease EVs to Drivers for Just €100 Per Month

France Will Lease EVs to Drivers for Just €100 Per Month

As of now, France offers subsidies as high as €6,000 for EVs that cost €47,000 or less. Some drivers enjoy even more savings when they participate in a federal trade-in program that offers money in exchange for gas-powered cars. But for those without the upfront funds to make such a significant purchase (or those who are hesitant about committing to an EV in the first place), a discount on a brand-new car isn’t enough. Drastic times call for drastic measures; with France and other parts of the world experiencing remarkably high temperatures due to climate change, Macron’s administration is under pressure to find creative ways to incentivize Earth-saving habits.

France Will Lease EVs to Drivers for Just €100 Per Month

Attal says the €100 monthly price tag on a leased EV is less than many French drivers spend on gas. So far, however, nothing’s been said about how drivers will charge their leased EVs. From a practical standpoint, some might not want to invest in having a charging station installed at home. Doing so costs anywhere from $1,000 to $4,500 here in the US. Once the charging station purchase and installation are considered, it might not be worth it to someone whose lease only lasts a year or so. Based on France’s otherwise slow adoption of EVs, it’s unlikely there are sufficient publicly-accessible charging stations to support mainstream EV leases. According to Bloomberg, EVs have only made up 12 percent of the country’s new car sales so far this year.

Nevertheless, the French government is reportedly hard at work figuring out how quickly the new leasing program can be made available. Timing appears to depend on the available stock of EVs, which it’s safe to assume has been affected by supply chain issues like the chip shortage.

Continue reading

Jupiter’s Moon Europa Might Glow in the Dark
Jupiter’s Moon Europa Might Glow in the Dark

The intense radiation bombarding Europa might make it glow in the dark, and that could help scientists learn more about the moon's ice sheets and the ocean below.

This Giant Claw Could Soon Clean Up Space Junk
This Giant Claw Could Soon Clean Up Space Junk

Cleaning up space to prevent collisons is a tall order, but the ESA has just funded a giant space claw that could show the way forward.

Don’t Miss This Week’s Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
Don’t Miss This Week’s Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn

The two planets will appear closest together on Monday, December 21, the day of the Winter Solstice, when—depending on your eyesight—they may seem to briefly merge into a single bright point of light before drawing apart again.

Stadia Could Have a Huge 2021 If Google Can Just Focus for Once
Stadia Could Have a Huge 2021 If Google Can Just Focus for Once

Maybe this cloud gaming thing isn't so crazy after all. In fact, 2021 might be a huge year for Stadia, if Google can overcome its tendency to lose focus.