Two “social leasing” programs for zero-emission vehicles that actually work

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:18:18 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://thedriven.io/2025/06/18/two-social-leasing-programs-for-zero-emission-vehicles-that-actually-work/>

"Targeted leasing programs for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), commonly known as
“social leasing,” are increasingly part of debates about how to make clean
transportation more accessible and equitable.

The idea is that by considering social elements such as income level and
commuting distance, government support can help lower monthly leasing fees and
make ZEVs more accessible for those who may not otherwise be able to afford
them.

Here I’ll highlight two social leasing programs—one in France and the other
Washington State in the United States—and then explore what else policymakers
can consider when designing such programs.

France’s social leasing initiative applied to both new and used cars and ran
from January 2024 to mid-February 2024. In Washington State, the program was
also for new and used cars and ran from August 2024 to October 2024. Both were
based on income and number of individuals in the household.

In France, beneficiaries had to be commuters using their personal vehicle, and
the distance between their home and workplace had to be greater than 15 km or
their driving related to work had to be more than 8,000 km per year.

The program in France sparked significant interest, with 90,000 applications
submitted. In the end, 50,000 orders of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were
approved and funds were exhausted within 6 weeks of the program’s launch."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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