ROME: Italian car buyers have used 80% of the automotive incentives provided by Rome to buy vehicles produced abroad, the country's industry minister said on Wednesday, adding the government would reshape the structure of the scheme.
Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said a revision of the automotive incentive framework would have to support both a shift to more environmental friendly vehicles and national car output.
"The balance, so far, says 80% of the incentives went to cars produced abroad and imported to Italy," Urso told parliament.
A revision of the incentives should be part of talks the government is currently holding with Fiat-maker Stellantis , the sole major carmaker in Italy, on a broad plan to 2030 for the country's automotive industry.
Italy, which is lagging other major European countries in terms of fully electric vehicle registrations, has so far funded the purchases of EV and hybrid cars but also of state-of the-art internal combustion ones, referred to as Euro 6.
However, Urso said over 11 million polluting cars were currently circulating in Italy.
"We must act," he said.
