Useful information

Icône mise à jour Last update 24/09/2025

The ‘Light Electric Commercial Vehicles’ section contains general information on light electric commercial vehicles used for ‘last-mile delivery’ and ‘traditional courier services’.

The CNR has published a study entitled “All-electric industrial vehicle"bringing together useful information for road freight transporters preparing to invest in electric industrial vehicles.
This study is a summary of information gathered from transport companies operating electric vehicles, manufacturers, and recognized reports on the subject. It includes statistics on the French fleet of electric industrial vehicles, the functioning of the electricity market, specific taxes applied to this energy, and the challenges for transport companies in connecting their depots and installing charging stations. The various aid schemes put in place by the government, such as accelerated depreciation of vehicles, eco-bonuses, and subsidies for the installation of charging stations, are also documented.
At the end of this document, CNR provides operating cost estimates for electric industrial vehicles (trucks and LCVs), also shown in the tables below.

Profiles based on interviews conducted by the CNR with a limited number of carriers operating 12-meter electric light commercial vehicles.3The information collected was cross-checked with other sources. Certain values, such as annual vehicle mileage, vehicle prices, battery sizes, and insurance costs, were obtained from these field observations. Others were obtained from data provided by manufacturers or recognized official reports. The choice of variables relating to the operating conditions of electric vehicles (energy prices, equipment costs, battery power, charging station power, etc.) has a significant impact on the cost price. There is a wide dispersion in electricity prices, which can vary significantly depending on factors such as high price volatility, which is highly sensitive to geopolitical events, weather conditions, etc. These prices also depend on companies' negotiating power. 12 m electric light commercial vehicles
The cost estimates presented correspond to specific operating scenarios that cannot be generalized.

Hypotheses

  • 12 m light commercial vehicle3 in last-mile delivery
  • 12 m light commercial vehicle3 by traditional mail
  • Deposit fee
  • One charge per day
  • Energy costs: rates observed over the last 12 months
  • Low case: €0.15/kWh: rate observed for carriers handling large volumes and/or having negotiated during favorable periods
  • Blue tariff (June 2024): €0.2047/kWh
  • High case: €0.40/kWh: rate observed for carriers handling low volumes and/or having negotiated during unfavorable periods.
  • Vehicle costs
  • The costs of the terminal and its installation
  • Maintenance, repair and tyre costs
  • Insurance costs
  • Due to the wide variety of cases, the following costs have not been included in the simulations. To assess these costs, each carrier must evaluate its own situation, taking into account the operating characteristics of the service envisaged. These characteristics are particularly decisive in calculating the cost price for an electric vehicle.
  • Driver costs: without sector-specific survey data, the CNR does not know how drivers' working hours are divided (driving time and other time). The vehicle's limited daily range requires the company to have a specific organization in terms of its refueling strategy (recharging at the depot, while on the road, during the day, at night, etc.) and the human resources assigned to it.
  • Structural costs: without sector-specific survey data, the CNR does not know the nature of certain specific structural costs, such as those related to personnel dedicated to the operation of electric vehicles, their training, specific facilities or equipment, maintenance of premises, insurance for premises, etc.
  • The costs of connecting to the electricity grid, which vary depending on the power required and the geographical location of the site, would likely be included in the structural costs.
  • Highway toll costs.
  • Vehicle depreciation allowance (corporate tax rate: 25%): due to possible restrictions on eligibility for this aid (taxable income and de minimis rule), the CNR presents simulations with and without the depreciation allowance scheme.
  • Eco-friendly bonus
  • Incentives for installing charging stations

Estimating vehicle operating costs

LAST MILE DELIVERY12 M3 ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLECOMMENTS
Parameters of the selected profile - values for December 2023 except for energy (see assumptions above)
Vehicle operation (days/year)260Survey data
Annual mileage (km/year)12 500Survey data. Only one charge observed at the depot.
Battery pack capacity (kWh/h)33Manufacturer data
Payload (ton)1,2Survey data
Vehicle shelf life + battery pack (years)5Survey data
Fuel consumption (kWh/100 km)24Task Force Reference Value
Vehicle range (km)130Manufacturer data
Energy cost (€/kWh)0,15000,20470,4000See assumptions above
Cost of vehicle before subsidies (€)46 000Survey data. Eco-bonus not deducted.
Ecological bonus deducted (€)4 000Maximum value
Cost of a 22 kW charging station before subsidies (€)20 000Survey data. Installation and configuration included. Not included: cost of electrical connection, which varies depending on the power required and the geographical location of the site.
Cost components: annual total
Detention (€/year)

With

over-depreciation

7 020

Without

over-depreciation

8 400

Aid selected: Eco bonus: €4,000 excluding VAT per vehicle and 60% accelerated depreciation spread over the vehicle's useful life. Corporate income tax rate selected: 25%.
Energy (€/year)4506141 200See assumptions above
Maintenance and repairs (€/year)451Survey data
Tires (€/year)362Survey data
Terminal (€/year)851Aid granted: subsidy for the installation of a charging station: 50% of the investment cost, up to a maximum of €3,300 excluding VAT. Amortization period: 5 years, financing period: 1 year. Four vehicles charged per station in 12 hours.
Insurance (€/year)1 952Survey data
Operating cost (excluding driver, structural costs, tolls)
Annual total with accelerated depreciation (€/year)11 08611 25011 836See assumptions above
Annual total without accelerated depreciation (€/year)12 46612 63013 216See assumptions above
TRADITIONAL MESSENGER SERVICE12 M3 ELECTRIC LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLECOMMENTS
Parameters of the selected profile - values for December 2023 except for energy (see assumptions above)
Vehicle operation (days/year)300Survey data
Annual mileage (km/year)25 000Survey data. Only one charge observed at the depot.
Battery pack capacity (kWh/h)52Manufacturer data
Payload (ton)1,2Survey data
Vehicle shelf life + battery pack (years)5Survey data
Fuel consumption (kWh/100 km)30Task Force Reference Value
Vehicle range (km)200Manufacturer data
Energy cost (€/kWh)0,15000,20470,4000See assumptions above
Cost of vehicle before subsidies (€)57 000Survey data. Eco-bonus not deducted.
Ecological bonus deducted (€)4 000Maximum value
Cost of a 22 kW charging station before subsidies (€)20 000Survey data. Installation and configuration included. Not included: cost of electrical connection, which varies depending on the power required and the geographical location of the site.
Cost components: annual total
Detention (€/year)

With

over-depreciation

8 890

Without

over-depreciation

10 600

Aid selected: Eco bonus: €4,000 excluding VAT per vehicle and 60% accelerated depreciation spread over the vehicle's useful life. Corporate income tax rate selected: 25%.
Energy (€/year)1 1251 5353 000See assumptions above
Maintenance and repairs (€/year)901Survey data
Tires (€/year)724Survey data
Terminal (€/year)1 361Aid granted: subsidy for the installation of charging stations: 50% of the investment cost, up to a maximum of €3,300 excluding VAT. Amortization period: 5 years, financing period: 1 year. 2.5 vehicles charged per station in 12 hours.
Insurance (€/year)1 952Survey data
Operating cost (excluding driver, structural costs, tolls)
Annual total with accelerated depreciation (€/year)14 95415 36416 829See assumptions above
Annual total without accelerated depreciation (€/year)16 66417 07418 539See assumptions above

See also

2 Jul
2024

All-electric industrial vehicles

All-electric industrial vehicles

This study brings together useful information for road haulage operators wishing to invest in electric commercial vehicles. In particular, you will find: statistics on the French fleet of electric commercial vehicles, on how the electricity market operates, on the specific taxes applied to this form of energy, and on the challenges facing hauliers in the […]

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