The amount of the incentive changes based on the type of conversion performed. For the installation of an LPG system 400 euros are expected, while for the switch to methane the contribution rises to 800 euros. This is a predetermined sum, which is not calculated as a percentage of the price paid by the owner. In practice, the amount remains the same even when the cost of the system is higher or lower. For example, faced with an LPG system costing 2 thousand euros, the motorist benefits from a discount of 400 euros and therefore incurs a cost of 1,600 euros, net of any further costs linked to the intervention.
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The bonus is accessible to both natural persons and legal entities. However, there is a precise exclusion: companies that carry out trade in motor vehicles belonging to the M1 category cannot benefit from it. The vehicle affected by the transformation must fall within the M1 category, i.e. that of cars, and have an environmental class no lower than Euro 3. However, vehicles which, at the time of the conversion, are already powered by LPG, methane or with bi-fuel systems remain outside the programme. The retrofit is therefore designed above all for cars originally powered by petrol or diesel that comply with the conditions established by the measure. Electric, hydrogen and hybrid electric/hydrogen cars are also not included in the relief.
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The car owner does not have to personally submit an application to the ministry. The procedure is managed by the installer, who books the contribution on the Ecobonus platform, naturally within the limits of the resources still available. The economic advantage is recognized directly to the customer in the form of a discount on the price of the system. The manufacturer of the system will then reimburse the installer and recover the sum through a tax credit. At the time of invoicing or purchasing, the installer must also report some specific information, including the discount applied due to the state contribution and the name of the owner or co-owner of the vehicle on which the system was mounted. Furthermore, after entering the booking, the procedure must be completed within 120 days from the date of entering the booking, as indicated by the operational provisions.
The economic endowment of the measure grows in 2027. For the current year, 4 million euros have been allocated, while the availability rises to 5 million in 2027 and remains at 5 million also in 2028 and 2029. One million euros is foreseen for 2030. The available money is not allocated in advance between LPG and methane conversions. The contribution, therefore, is not automatically guaranteed to all those who meet the requirements: reservations can be made until the financial allocation is exhausted. The platform dedicated to retrofit was opened by MIMIT on 29 July 2026, allowing installers to proceed with the booking of incentives, and there is also a specific page for all questions.
The presence of the bonus does not necessarily mean that the conversion is convenient in every situation. To understand whether the intervention is worth the expense, several elements must be put together:
The price of the system;
Kilometers usually travelled;
The consumption of the car;
The difference between the cost of petrol and that of LPG or methane.
Those who use the car only occasionally and travel a few thousand kilometers a year could take a long time to recover the amount invested. A different situation, however, concerns motorists who travel long distances and plan to keep the same car for several more years: in this case the lower cost of refueling can allow the initial expense to be recovered more quickly.
The calculation to be made therefore starts from the actual cost of the system after subtracting the public contribution. The expected savings on fuel must be compared to this figure. The characteristics of the individual car also affect the final result, from consumption to the availability of space for the tank, through any maintenance costs and the residual value of the vehicle.
The bonus is part of a regulatory framework which was also updated on a technical level in 2026. The decree of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport of 24 July 2026, published in the Official Journal on 16 September, introduced new provisions regarding approval, registration and periodic checks of LPG, CNG and LNG transformation systems. The provision also regulates some aspects concerning vehicles already present on the road circuit. The combined effect between new rules and economic support thus makes retrofitting a possibility to be evaluated also in 2027, especially for those who have a car that is still efficient but want to contain spending on refueling without having to face the purchase of a new car.
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