State-Subsidized Electric Cars, But the Real Environmental Impact Remains a Mystery

The Court of Auditors has expressed strong doubts about the effectiveness of the incentive system for the purchase of electric and hybrid cars, highlighting that substantial public investments have not been accompanied by a concrete assessment of the environmental benefits obtained. The analysis concerns the Ecobonus introduced with the 2019 Budget Law and invites the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (Mimit) and the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (Mase) to deeply revise the current model.

According to the report, the State has allocated about 3 billion euros to incentives, promoting the purchase of over 1.3 million low-emission vehicles. Despite these numbers, the accounting magistrates emphasize that there are no tools capable of accurately measuring how much these interventions have contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions or improving air quality.

The Court believes that the regulatory system has become excessively complex over the years, with continuous modifications and overlaps that have reduced its effectiveness. For this reason, a simplification of the rules is requested, accompanied by a strengthening of monitoring activities and greater information directed at citizens, in order to support European emission reduction goals by 2030.

Electric Cars, Ecobonus, and Regulations: Further Elements and Details

From an operational standpoint, the system has registered over 4,800 accredited dealers and more than 1.35 million completed bookings through the dedicated platform. However, data collection has primarily focused on administrative and financial aspects, without providing indicators on the actual environmental impact of the measures.

The report also recalls the case of the Automotive Fund. Before its activation, a study was commissioned from the Politecnico di Milano to assess its economic and environmental effects, but according to the Court, this analysis was not used as a basis for subsequent checks.

Since March 2025, the Government has modified its approach to incentives, replacing direct contributions to individuals with tools oriented towards development contracts and support for companies in the automotive supply chain. However, for the Court, this change will not be sufficient without a scientific system capable of verifying the environmental results achieved.