France wants to enable leasing of e-cars from 100 euros per month First sample of an asteroid successfully brought to Earth – will be examined from Tuesday

As part of a large-scale climate protection plan, France wants to make electric cars affordable for wide sections of the population. As President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday evening, people with lower incomes will be able to lease electric car models from next year from 100 euros per month. The offer must be limited to vehicles produced in Europe. The exact modalities are still being worked out. As Macron said, the number of electric cars produced in France should increase to one million vehicles per year by 2027.

To promote the switch from cars to public transport, France wants to set up rapid transit networks in 13 metropolitan areas, Macron announced. A regional rapid transit network was recently launched in the border city of Strasbourg.

Like Germany, France also wants to move away from gas boilers for heating and switch to heat pumps. By 2027, one million heat pumps should be produced annually in France and 30,000 installers trained, the president said.

The measures are part of a ‘French ecology plan’ costing a billion dollars. The aim is to respond to climate change and its consequences, protect biodiversity and make do with limited resources, Macron said. An interim goal is to reduce French CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

In addition to saving energy and water, it also involves technical innovations and behavioral changes among producers and consumers. A ‘green budget’ will require 40 billion euros in the coming year alone. (sda/dpa)