How's this for a work benefit: drive a low-CO₂ car for only ???1 a day

Dominique Laure, who is the owner of several freight companies in Loire-Atlantique and Gironde in France, has decided on a new benefit for his staff. Instead of salary raises, he will provide low CO₂-producing car at €1 per worked day to his workers. So, 100 out of his 130 employees will pay €250 per year to drive a new, cleaner car. There is a little catch, though.

Mr. Laure has two reasons for this unusual benefit. First of all, it makes financial sense for his companies. Each €2,000 raise would cost him €3,500 because of the extra taxes he would have to pay for that increase. The cars, in comparison, cost him €1,080 each instead, including the car's depreciation, maintenance and bank expenses. The employee and the employer sign a contract in which the employee rents the car from the company at €5 per day, while the employer pays the employee €4 to include advertising for one of Laure's companies on the vehicle. In the end, the cost to the employee is €1 per day.

The chosen model is a Renault Clio with a small diesel engine that produces less than 120 g/km of CO₂. Thus the second reason: Laure states that these cars allow his workers' to reduce their carbon footprint, since they mostly drive trucks at work.

[Source: Autoplus]