The French government has announced plans to rework the terms of its 5,000 euro ($5,360) electric-vehicle subsidies in an effort to cut off China-made cars from benefitting from the program, Nikkei Asia reported, noting that Emmanuel Macron’s government said subsidies will now be handed out based on the energy source used during the vehicle and its battery’s manufacture. The move will effectively render almost all Chinese EVs from qualifying for buyer subsidies as most production facilities in the country are fuelled by coal.
France’s decision — which comes on the heels of the European Commission launching an investigation into Beijing’s state subsidies for EV production — was aimed at reducing the country’s carbon footprint through imports, an official said. The manufacture of a small sedan in China produces “45% more emissions” than in Europe, the official noted.
Read the full report: Nikkei Asia.
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