Fleets, IRS clampdown on company cars: here are all the price increases

Another big brake on the car market and a further fiscal squeeze on companies and company car assignees. This is the summary and figure of the economic policy on company cars envisaged in the Financial Law under review. For those who want to verify this conclusion, here are the facts and foreseeable impacts. The Budget Bill, in Article 7, envisages taxing company cars, for the part of private use that therefore constitutes income in kind for the employee, on the basis of engine power, distinguishing between full electric, plug-in hybrid and thermal, with the latter including both plug-free hybrids and CNG/LPG hybrids. Today the parameter is CO2 emissions, the reduction of which was at the origin of the green standards that now evidently have a different compass: to push electric cars. Another slap in the face of the technological neutrality that this government claims to be pursuing. There is more.

The coefficients used to calculate the value of the levy are being revised, taxing less electric cars, plug-ins and large thermals (about 15 per cent of company car choices) and much more the others, the bulk of company cars. The estimates of Aniasa, the rental association, are merciless. Those who would choose cars with CO2 emissions over 190 gr/km (i.e. the larger ones, destined for top managers) would save 700 euros for themselves and another 400 in Inps contributions for the company. Yes, read that correctly, those who emit more pay less, over 1,100 euros less per year. This is 2% of the cars, but as they say, what counts is the thought. The other executives, those with cars between 160 and 190 g/km, would pay a little more, above 100 euros them and just below the company: 200 euros in total. Those who receive the most attention are those who travel in cars between 60 and 160 g/km, i.e. the vast majority of the assignees, those who really grind dozens of kilometres for work and perhaps are executives and office workers. The gesture envisaged for them by the government is worth 1,000 euro more levy plus another 600 almost for the company.

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Harassment? No, suggestion, because the way out is there, just seize it. Choose a plug-in hybrid and the deductions will drop by more than 200 euros for them and 100 for the company: yes, they are not the same as the aggravation, but why quibble? Even better if they switched to a full electric: minus 600 and minus 360 respectively. So where is the problem? The problem is that driving around looking for petrol stations is not in the job description of company car assignees nor of 97 out of every 100 Italians. Pretending not to understand this simple truth that customers are reporting is really hard to stomach. OK, but with plug-ins there is no such problem. True, there is another, even bigger one. In recent years, fleets have been the biggest purchasers of these motorisations, which without imposing forced stops for recharging make it possible to declare in the company profile a green dimension that analysts, those who once thought of profitability, like so much. It is a pity that the managers who have opted for this solution have then discovered that consumption is that of a jet, having to carry several quintals of batteries.

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So far the rule, still to be approved. What would be the effects? On a political level, it would probably be a green flag to wave with Brussels when the real money of the Finanziaria is discussed. In the market, however, there would be a further stop to the registration of new cars. It goes without saying that only a small minority will adhere to the incentive to look for petrol stations and consume long American coffees. For the others, all that remains is to continue driving around with the car they have, moving its replacement forward. Therefore, the segment that has one in four licence plates in Italy and even higher value than the average privateer would slow down registrations. For the operators there is no problem, since they do not invoice cars but services and in the extensions they have always managed to take home more money than in the original contracts. No, this measure would only penalise those who manufacture the cars, namely the workers. Aniasa estimates 80,000 fewer cars in 2025, or 5 per cent of the total car market.

Unfortunately, there is a self-evident truth, which even members of the government and its majority are familiar with, but which struggles to find its way into legislation: electric mobility can be chosen, yes, but it cannot be imposed by law.