the increase in October fails to erase the ambient gloom

Despite a slight recovery in October, the French automobile market confirms its depression in recent months.

Sales of new cars experienced a very slight improvement in October in France: barely 3% increase over one year. In October, there were 139,500 registrations, according to figures published by the Automobile Platform, the association of manufacturers and equipment manufacturers. But over the first ten months of the year, sales fell by almost 5.5%.

If we look specifically at the different brands, it is Renault which is experiencing the best dynamic with sales up 2.5% between January and October 2025. For its part, Stellantis (formerly PSA-Peugeot Citroën), which today includes Fiat, Chrysler and Opel, is seeing its sales decline by more than 8%. A contraction mainly due to Peugeot and Fiat, while Citroën is holding steady.

Has the aid granted through social leasing for electric cars supported the market? Social leasing, the rental with option to purchase electric vehicles for low-income households with state aid, has had an impact, but limited. Despite the aid, consumer demand is very relative. Out of 50,000 possible files at the end of October, there were 41,500 beneficiaries. Electric represented 24% of sales. This is the segment which recorded the strongest growth with registrations up by just over 60% and still a great success for the Renault 5.

Social leasing is endowed with 370 million euros. Like the ecological bonus which lowers the purchase price of a new car, it is financed by energy saving certificates (CFE) on the principle of the polluter pays hitting energy suppliers. It’s a mixed success, in any case not enough to convince the French to buy electric cars en masse, which are still too expensive. Note that the utility vehicle market is not in the best shape either, down 7% year-on-year in October, reflecting the wait-and-see attitude of companies in the degraded political context that France is experiencing. Companies that do not invest do not renew their automobile fleet. The engine is seized on all dealership floors.