The boost to the sector

Car incentives, there's the commuter zone issue

The platform for activation was expected by the end of September, but it cannot be ruled out that it may take another month, month and a half

by Rome Editorial Staff

6 September 2025

3' min read

Key points

The work of Istat
Funds available
For whom discounts apply
How the incentive works
Pushing the electric car market

3' min read

The wait for the electric car incentives may be a little longer. The platform for activation was expected by the end of September, but it cannot be ruled out that it might take another month, month and a half.

Istat's work

In fact, Istat is currently reviewing the definition of commuting routes in large areas, which is one of the criteria to which the relief is linked. So the government will soon assess whether to proceed with the current maps, which date back ten years or so, or whether to wait for the new ISTAT elaborations. And in this case the timeframe could be a little longer. "We are evaluating," Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on the sidelines of the Teha Forum in Cernobbio. "We are practically ready, and if the changes are few, we may decide to proceed on the basis of the areas already defined.

Funds available

In fact, all that is needed for the start-up is a platform that is at an advanced stage and on which the Ministry of the Environment is working. The choice is not yet made, but the dilemma is on the table. Not least because manufacturers, retailers and also consumers are pressing. For this new scrapping, there are about 600 million from the NRP. They were initially earmarked for the construction and activation of car columns. They were then shifted to the purchase of zero-emission cars.

For whom the discounts apply

But the discounts will not apply to everyone. In fact, there are specific limitations. The benefit is substantial but will be articulated according to the Isee and you will get nothing if it exceeds 40 thousand euro. But then there is the territorial application: the aid only comes to the so-called functional urban areas: these are cities with more than 50 thousand inhabitants and commuting areas.

And this is precisely the issue, as mentioned, for which an update is underway. 'Istat is reviewing the areas,' added Minister Pichetto. 'The current ones are about 10 years old, so there could be some changes. If we wait we need another month and a half. But just yesterday I had a meeting with my offices to ask for an initial outline assessment. If the expected changes are not so important, we might decide to start anyway, maybe then with a correction. In short, we are evaluating and we know that the market is waiting for this intervention'.

How the incentive works

The incentive will be substantial. It will be granted to individuals for the purchase of an electric car and is equal to a maximum of 11,000 euro, for individuals with Isee less than or equal to 30,000, or a maximum of 9,000 euro, for Isee between 30 and 40,000. A specific measure is also envisaged for micro-businesses on the purchase of electric commercial vehicles (categories N1 and N2), up to a maximum of EUR 20,000 per vehicle, up to a limit of 30% of the purchase price and in compliance with the 'de minimis' regulation

The boost in the electric car market

The market for electric cars in Italy is obviously expected to be rather sluggish. They accounted for only 4.9 per cent of total sales in Italy in August, up 3.7 per cent on the same month last year. A comparison with Europe can be made on July's figures: the European e-car sales average stands at 15.6%, at least three times more.