Background information

The so-called bonus-malus-system, a part of regulation 2017:1334, to promote the transition from fossil fuelled cars to vehicles adapted for renewable energy has been in place since July 2018. It means that electric cars are eligible for tax reductions (bonus) whereas their fossil fuelled equivalents are taxed more (malus). To further advance the transition to a more sustainable fleet of vehicles, the criteria for bonus payments are changed.

Content of measure

The bonus-malus-system is changed to promote the transition to a sustainable fleet of cars. The CO2-emission requirement is increased from 60 gram/km to 50 gram/km. A new price limit will also be introduced, making only cars with a retail price below SEK 700,000 (€65,600) eligible for bonus. The government has not provided any estimations of how this will change the market for vehicles causing low levels of emission or electric cars. The system has however been underfunded. Last year the payments to car owners were stopped in August due to lack of funding, and this year the same thing happened already in January.

Use of measure

Last year, more than 300,000 new cars were registered in Sweden. More than 135,000 (45%) were hybrid or electric cars. The changes in the bonus-malus-system will make fewer cars eligible for bonus payments and could promote the continuing sales growth of electric and hybrid cars.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Direct consultation outside a formal body	Direct consultation outside a formal body

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

No peak level employers organisations or trade unions have submitted answers during the consultation round. There are however sectoral actors within the transport industry that have given their view.

Views and reactions

The organisation MobilitySweden [BILSweden] that gathers producers and importers of vehicles is positive to the revised rules, but questions that the bonus changes are not accompanied by equivalent changes on the malus-side.

Sources

• 12 May 2022: Compiled consultations: improved rules for climate bonus for electric vehicles (Remissammanställning av Ändringar i förordningen om klimatbonusbilar) (www.regeringen.se)
• 13 June 2022: Improved rules for the climate bonus (Förbättrade regler för klimatbonusen) (www.regeringen.se)