To make some savings on fuel, Thierry turned to purchasing a hybrid vehicle. In fact, he did not choose 100% electric given the high price and the absence of subsidies in Wallonia. He contacted us via the orange “Alert us” button, to find out about other tax advantages.
Like many Belgians, Thierry covers a lot of kilometers. Every day, he travels more than 40 km: “I live in Arlon and I work in Bastogne. To save a little, I inquired about purchasing an electric vehicle“As he gathers information, he realizes that no subsidy is possible.”No one around me benefited from it anyway, so I didn't look any further.“.
Faced with the high cost of electric vehicles and in the absence of subsidies, he opted for a hybrid model. “Rather than stocking up every week, I do it every two weeks“, welcomes the motorist. Despite his satisfaction, Thierry wonders, via the orange “Alert us” button, what options exist and why there are no subsidies in Wallonia.
No help in Wallonia
In Wallonia, there are actually no subsidies or assistance for the purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle, unlike what is practiced in Flanders or France. The office of the Minister of Mobility and the Environment in Wallonia, Philippe Henry, justifies this absence by indicating: “This is not provided for by the Regional Policy Declaration. The Walloon government preferred to allocate significant resources to implement credible and sustainable alternatives to the exclusive use of the car.“This is manifested in particular by massive investments in public transport, such as making it free for a larger number of people or increasing the supply of buses and trains.”But also by investing in cycling infrastructure to make them more comfortable and safer on a daily basis.“, adds the firm.
On the other hand, there are tax advantages for purchasing an electric or hybrid car.
For 100% electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are subject to a registration tax of €61.50, both for individuals and businesses. The road tax is established on a single basis of an engine displacement equivalent to 4 tax horsepower and less. The amount is €97.68.
For hybrid vehicles
For the registration tax, the “ecomalus” component must be added for vehicles emitting 146 g or more of CO2 per kilometer. The registration tax is established on the basis of the vehicle's cylinder capacity (converted into fiscal horsepower (CV)) and/or power (Kw) but also the age of the vehicle. For hybrid vehicles, the thermal engine data is taken into account when calculating the tax.
But from July 1, 2025, the rules change for the registration tax. The Walloon public service explains this modification to us: “It will decrease or increase depending on the impact of the chosen vehicle on the infrastructure (road damage and occupation of public space), the environment (impact on health and the climate) or even the risks in the event of accident (heavier and more powerful vehicles involved in more serious accidents)“.
The office of Minister Philippe Henry provides an important nuance: “Electric and hybrid vehicles are of course advantageous in terms of CO2 emissions (small and medium-sized electric vehicles are at the lowest cost), but if they are very heavy and very powerful, this advantage necessarily becomes less.“
The reform provides that the registration tax will amount to a minimum of €50 and will not exceed a ceiling of €9,000.
As currently, the amount of tax will decrease depending on the age of used vehicles: the older they are, the lower the tax will be (the reduction is 10% per year up to 5 years and 5% per year beyond 5 years and up to 15 years.). “This is about not penalizing citizens who cannot afford to buy a recent vehicle.“, concludes the SPW.