No aid for commercial vehicles. Mostly at a time of sharp rises in the cost of fuel. The alarm was sounded by Federauto with Massimo Artusi, Vice President and Head of Trucks & Van who underlines: «The new year has begun in a disappointing way for commercial vehicles that the Government seems to have forgotten both in the Milleproroghe decree and in the renewal of the Ecobonus». The issue is twofold for the sector which suffers from a lack of subsidized instruments and which closed 2022 with a decline
by 13% on 2021, 24 thousand vehicles less than the previous year,
The tax credit issue
The renewal of tax credits is missing, “a measure that has existed for several years – recalls Artusi – precisely in support of investments in traditional and innovative capital goods”. But that’s not all, “the Government – adds Federauto – has not even provided for the extension of the delivery terms for the goods already ordered and confirmed, with the payment of the 20% advance, despite the very serious delays that the crisis of availability of raw materials and semiconductors is causing the production and distribution chains».
If the vehicle is not registered by 30 May, therefore, there is a risk of losing the credit benefit despite having made the purchase during 2022. The delivery of industrial vehicles, the dealers confirm, requires an average of one year of waiting, « those who bought in the last half of 2022 risk not being able to use the tax credit, in addition to the damage, even insult » comments Artusi.
Ecobonus to change
Added to the problem of the tax credit is the issue of Ecobonuses, with the new aid plan operational since 10 January. In fact, the incentives for the purchase of commercial vehicles “used in urban and regional logistics”, explains Federauto, have the same implementation constraints as the 2022 version, constraints “which made the resources available last year almost completely unused” .
For the commercial vehicle sector, the incentive plan provides for a measure – from 4,000 to 6,000 euros in aid – only in the case of purchasing a full electric commercial vehicle (Bev) against the mandatory scrapping of a traditional vehicle. «Last year – explains Artusi – only 10% of the allocation equal to 10 million was used». No corrective has been introduced, therefore the measure is destined to remain at a standstill this year as well.