For millions of Italian drivers, 2027 is shaping up to be the year when the famous “bollo auto” will disappear. The government of Giorgia Meloni has approved a decree that exempts cars with moderate power from the tax. The measure will cover about 14.5 million vehicles and will cost roughly €2.3 billion in public finances. It remains to be seen which models will qualify as beneficiaries.
The criterion is straightforward. All gasoline or diesel cars whose power does not exceed 80 kW, hybrids included, will be exempt in 2027. That ceiling equates to just over 108 horsepower and is aimed primarily at small-to-mid-power models. City cars such as the Fiat Panda, Renault Clio, Dacia Sandero, or Peugeot 208 are at the heart of the plan.
Bollo auto 2027: the new Italian rule of 80 kW
The “bollo auto” is an Italian regional tax tied to vehicle ownership, not to its use. It is paid every year, whether the car is on the road daily or sitting idle in a garage for months. Introduced in 1953, this levy is calculated first based on power in kilowatts. With the Italian fleet numbering a little over 41 million vehicles and an average age of roughly 13 years, the decree aims to erase the bollo whose due date falls in 2027 for a large portion of that fleet.
In practice, gasoline or diesel cars, including those that pair with another propulsion source, are affected. Mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, or plug-in hybrids also benefit if power does not exceed 80 kW, about 109 horsepower. This figure is read in field P.2 of the registration certificate, which lists the net engine power in kilowatts. For a hybrid, that field lists only the output of the internal combustion engine. Fully electric cars remain outside this exemption. Each citizen can take advantage of the measure for only one vehicle—car or two-wheeler.
Clio, 208, Sandero: the engines that will pass to zero taxation in Italy
According to the list released by the ANSA news agency, the exempt vehicles are predominantly small cars in segments A and B. For the most popular models in France, here are the versions explicitly cited as falling beneath the power threshold.
- Dacia Sandero: 1.0 SCe 49 kW (67 hp) and 1.0 TCe Eco‑G GPL 74 kW (100 hp).
- Renault Clio: 1.0 SCe 49 kW (67 hp) and 1.0 TCe 67 kW (91 hp).
- Peugeot 208: 1.2 gasoline or Hybrid 55 kW (75 hp) and 74 kW (100 hp).
Also included are the Renault Twingo 1.0 SCe 48 kW and the Captur 1.0 TCe GPL 74 kW, 100 hp. On the Fiat side, the Panda and 500 1.0 Hybrid, as well as the 600 and Lancia Ypsilon 1.2 Hybrid, are also affected.
Among Stellantis offerings, the Peugeot 208 stands out with its 1.2 petrol or Hybrid variants at 55 and 74 kW. The SUV 2008, powered by the same 1.2 engine delivering 74 kW, is also among the beneficiaries. Several Citroën C3, Opel Corsa, or Jeep Avenger SUVs with the 1.2 74 kW unit also fall within the scope. A large number of B‑SUVs and compact cars, such as the Dacia Jogger/Duster, Volkswagen Polo/T‑Cross, or Hyundai i10/i20, also fall under the 80 kW threshold. Models exceeding the threshold will remain taxed, and beyond 185 kW they will also incur the superbollo, €20 per kilowatt.
