Franck GAULTIER
. The tightening of car fleet taxation is confirmed for 2026
. Annual taxes are gaining more and more weight in the fleet T-Codes.
. To avoid these increases, it is, more than ever, essential to anticipate various actions
. Given the various evolutions, fleet management in 2026 must be equipped and managed, in order not to suffer
. A specialist in connected vehicles since 2016, Optimum offers a 360° car fleet management solution to meet the current and future challenges of fleet managers.
Au January 1, 2026, corporate car taxation continues to tighten. Bonuses that are fading, penalties that are getting stronger and annual taxes that weigh more and more heavily in the TCO : the trajectory is clear.
The State's objective is twofold: Accelerating the Energy Transition and Reorienting Business Choices Towards vehicles that emit less polluting emissions.
In this context, a fleet “driven by intuition” becomes a significant financial risk for companies. Conversely, a fleet Measured, Simulated and Optimized Can absorb these changes while maintaining a high level of service for employees.
2026: strict taxation, in line with 2025 measures
Several measures have already been implemented for 2026, while others remain linked to the arbitrations of PLF 2026. The result remains the same for fleet managers: Increased fiscal pressure at various levels and a need to recalibrate vehicle choices.
Among the key points to remember, the tax landscape is structured around three main logics:
- Tax the most polluting vehicles more
- Making internal combustion vehicles (including some hybrids) less attractive
- Strengthen incentive mechanisms around the “greening” of fleets
Concrete changes for fleet managers!
1) The TCO (total cost of ownership) is becoming more sensitive... and more volatile
In 2026, taxation is no longer a “separate” parameter: it directly on the annual budget and can change the profitability of a model.
The Classic Trap: compare vehicles only on the list price or the LLD rent.
The right approach is to reason in terms of Full TCO, taxation included. All parameters must therefore be taken into consideration: acquisition or rental costs, energy bill (fuel and/or electric refills), maintenance, taxation (TUV, AEN, TAI...), etc...
2) Thermal/hybrid/electrical trade-offs are becoming more complex
Businesses must deal with rules that change almost every year: thresholds, schedules, annual taxes... which requires Reassess regularly The Car Policy.
It is becoming essential to monitor and anticipate tax thresholds and to reassess vehicle choices as changes change.
3) Annual taxation is becoming a matter of piloting (and not only registering)
In recent years, attention has often been focused on the purchase penalty. But the trend is confirmed: Taxes annuale Are taking an increasing place in fleet budgets.
In Short: A Bad Choice No Longer Costs “Once”, It Costs Every Year, with an Upward Trend.
The 6 Winning Reflexes to Anticipate 2026 Taxation
Because the management of a car fleet can no longer be done by instinct, here is a very operational and directly actionable reading grid for 2026.
1) Update your 2026 budget simulations (TCO + taxation)
Before Ordering or Renewing, Build Comparisons by Real Use : mileage, energy, assignment, length of detention.
=> Objective: to avoid “false good ideas” attractive vehicle on rent, fiscally penalizing.
=> Medium: our experts support you during this stage by offering you a complete audit of your car fleet. This audit, free and without commitment, allows you to benefit from an instant photograph of your car fleet and to identify optimization levers.
2) Adjust the Car Policy according to the new cursors
The challenge is not to “go all-electric tomorrow”, but to define simple rules: which vehicles for what uses? What are “electrifiable” vehicles? How to calibrate the need for electric refills.
=> Objective: to identify “electrifiable” vehicles.
=> Medium: the use of embedded telematics allows you to have an objective and concrete vision of the current uses of your vehicles: number of daily kilometers, duration of stopping times, location of nighttime parking places... The analysis of real uses makes it possible to know, in concrete terms, which vehicles can/should be electrified as a priority.
3) Integrate annual taxes into monthly management
Annual taxes are becoming an item to keep track of, like fuel, claims or tires. For example, a good indicator to follow would be the Annual tax cost per vehicle, then By Entity, then By type of vehicle and/or use.
=> Objective: identify the fiscal impacts of your arbitrations as well as possible optimizations
=> Medium: our experts also support and advise you on these various aspects. For example, for company vehicles, our experts will be in a position to provide you with various solutions to reduce taxation on Benefits in Nature : actual declaration (vs. fixed price), fuel coverage (or not)...
These various choices frequently make it possible to reduce taxation on Benefits In Kind. The key: savings for the company and preservation of the purchasing power of employees.
4) Optimize employee benefits
Tax changes are pushing us to rethink the “mobility package” offered to employees.
Some alternatives make it possible to maintain the attractiveness of the package while controlling the cost: more economical vehicles adapted to real uses, more rational renewal rules, mobility supplements (train, bike, car sharing, etc.).
=> Objective: to rethink the mobility of employees in its surroundings.
=> Medium: various devices make it possible to redefine the advantages of employees by providing more flexibility. Mobility Credit, for example, allows employees who own a company vehicle to totally or partially renounce their advantage in return for financial compensation to cover business and personal travel expenses.
5) Avoid “arbitrary” decisions thanks to data
Taxation alone is not enough: it is necessary to combine the Real Uses And the Choice of vehicles.
Below are a few examples that can be particularly counterproductive:
- PHEVs used as thermal ones = overconsumption of fuel
- Oversized Vehicles = Taxation + Energy + Tires on the Rise
- Underused electric vehicles = unjustified fixed cost
=> Objective: to anticipate the impacts of each choice in light of the reality of current uses
=> Medium: again, embedded telematics allows you to benefit from clear and objective visibility. Depending on the uses observed, it will be possible to make rational choices while anticipating the adverse impacts of the various scenarios.
6) Remain agile: taxation changes (almost) every year
Last and probably the most important point: it is necessary to set up a car fleet management system that is both flexible and scalable. Avoid excessively long commitment periods that could penalize you according to future tax developments and adopt a 360° fleet management tool Allowing you to respond simultaneously to several challenges: cost reduction, reduction of carbon impact, implementation of car sharing within your company, road risk prevention, vehicle security, etc.
The role of a fleet management tool in 2026: moving from observation to optimization
In 2026, businesses don't “just” need a cleaner Excel table. They need:
. Visibility (number of uses, consumption, costs)
. Alerts (drifts, inconsistencies, anomalies)
. Simulation capacity (renewal scenarios, energy transition)
. multi-site management (Entire France, by subsidiaries, by entities)
That's exactly where Telematics and fleet management tools Take on Their Full Value: Transforming a Fiscal Constraint Into Rational Decision, encrypted, defendable.
Conclusion: the year 2026 does not have to be endured. It Has to Be Flown!
The 2026 car taxation confirms a trajectory that began several years ago: the cost of a fleet depends more and more on its Emission Level, of his Consistency of Use And the company's ability to Anticipate Changes.
The Good News: Businesses that Rely on Data and Management Can Reduce fiscal risk, accelerate their energy transition while maintaining an attractive fleet.
Since 2016, Optimum has been supporting fleet managers in this transformation, by providing the right indicators and best practices, the management and optimization levers necessary to decide quickly... and well.
