The French government plans to let more people cycling to help tackle rising energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.

The French government has announced that people willing to replace their bicycles with cars will receive subsidies of up to 4,000 euros, as part of a plan to increase active mobility at a time when energy prices are rising. At the same time, the plan is also expected to reduce France’s carbon emissions.

French citizens and legal entities can apply for a “conversion bonus”, which allows them to receive a standard subsidy of up to 4,000 euros if they replace a heavily polluting motor vehicle with a bicycle, e-bike or cargo bike.

France wants to increase the number of people who travel by bicycle every day to 9% by 2024 from the current 3%.

France first introduced the system in 2018 and gradually increased the subsidy from 2,500 euros to 4,000 euros. The incentive covers everyone who owns a car, instead of counting vehicles per household as before, for those who just own a car. Those who want to buy an e-bike but still keep a motor vehicle will also be subsidized by the French government of up to 400 euros.

As Oliver Scheider of the FUB/French Federation of Bicycle Users put it succinctly: “For the first time, people have realized that the solution to environmental problems is not about making cars greener, but more Simply reduce their numbers.” Realizing that the plan has positive effects in the short and long term, France is putting sustainability at the forefront when dealing with the current energy crisis.