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Every now and then, a policy framework creates opportunities that weren’t originally anticipated.
Belgium’s mobility budget is one of those cases.
Originally introduced to reduce congestion, encourage more sustainable commuting, and rebalance the dominance of the company car, the mobility budget has gradually evolved into a flexible system that supports a wide range of mobility options. And unexpectedly, it has become one of the most promising national frameworks in Europe for intermediate vehicles — the L6e and L7e electric quadricycles we commonly call microcars.
As discussions around the 2026 changes intensify and more companies explore alternatives to traditional fleets, Belgium finds itself in an interesting position: it may be the first European country where microcars enter corporate mobility not as an exception, but as a strategic tool.
A Mobility Framework Slowly Opening Toward Light Electric Vehicles
Belgium’s mobility budget is structured around three well-known pillars:
- Pillar 1: an environmentally friendly (soon 100% electric) company car
- Pillar 2: sustainable mobility and certain housing costs
- Pillar 3: remaining balance paid in cash
For microcars, Pillar 2 is the key. With its full tax and social contribution exemption, it is designed to promote low-impact commuting options.
The pivotal moment came with Circular 2022/C/20, which clarified that certain electric motorized tricycles and quadricycles — including L6e and L7e — are eligible, provided they meet three conditions:
- They are electric.
- They are designed for passenger transport.
- They have a closed cabin.
These criteria may look simple, but they map almost perfectly onto the microcars many European manufacturers have developed in recent years.
Belgium, perhaps unintentionally, created one of the clearest regulatory gateways in Europe for integrating microcars into everyday corporate mobility.
Why Intermediate Vehicles Make Sense in Urban Belgium
The majority of daily commutes in Belgium are short. Cities like Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège deal with a familiar set of challenges: limited space, increasing LEZ restrictions, and growing pressure to electrify fleets.
Within this context, intermediate vehicles — particularly electric quadricycles — provide a compelling middle option:
- More protective and comfortable than a bike or scooter
- More compact and energy-efficient than a car
- Adequate for the distances many Belgian employees travel
- Easy to charge and inexpensive to operate
- Simple to park in dense urban areas
They bridge the gap between soft mobility and traditional vehicles — a gap that, until recently, policy frameworks largely overlooked.
Now, the mobility budget has brought that space into focus.
A Concrete Example: Microcars Within the Budget
Consider the modern L7e microcars seen increasingly on Belgian roads. Vehicles such as the Microlino, the Silence S04, or France’s La Bagnole offer:
- Two seats
- A fully enclosed cabin
- 45–90 km/h maximum speed depending on category
- Fully electric drivetrains
- Low weight and low energy consumption
- Realistic daily ranges of 70–200+ km
These characteristics align very closely with the actual needs of many commuters — especially those traveling short to medium distances within or around cities.
And crucially:
L7e and closed-cabin L6e models meet the eligibility criteria for Pillar 2.
This makes them fully tax-advantaged options for employees, and cost-efficient fleet tools for companies seeking to reduce environmental impact while keeping total cost of ownership under control.
A Growing Market With Varied Options
Belgium’s interest in intermediate vehicles is supported by a growing ecosystem of manufacturers:
- Microlino (L7e / L6e) — iconic design, robust cabin, up to 230 km range
- Citroën Ami (L6e) — highly compact, simple, proven in urban fleets
- Silence S04 (L7e) — removable battery system, ideal for shared mobility
- Kilow La Bagnole (L6e / L7e) — modular, French-built, cabin option available
These vehicles differ in character but share the same underlying logic: urban trips rarely require the weight, power, and space of a traditional car.
The mobility budget simply makes that logic economically visible.
2026: A Turning Point for Lightweight Electric Mobility
The upcoming regulatory changes (currently pending final confirmation for December 2025):
- Pillar 1 becomes electric-only
- Pillar 2 becomes electric-only for all motorized vehicles
- Employers may be required to offer the mobility budget if they offer company cars
If implemented, these changes will push companies to seek efficient electric options for short daily commutes — exactly where L6e and L7e vehicles excel.
Belgium could become a reference case for how national policy can accelerate the adoption of lightweight electric mobility.
Where Microcars Fit in a Balanced Corporate Mobility Strategy
Corporate mobility is increasingly approached as a portfolio rather than a single solution. In that portfolio:
- Bikes are ideal for short trips.
- Public transport is efficient for linear routes.
- Electric cars remain necessary for long distances.
And microcars occupy a valuable space in between:
- 5–30 km commutes
- All-weather conditions
- Need for a passenger or small cargo
- Limited parking availability
- Urban or suburban trips
Rather than replacing any one mode, they complete the mobility ecosystem.
Conclusion: A Quiet but Significant Opportunity
Belgium’s mobility budget did not set out to promote microcars — yet it has become one of the strongest enablers for them in Europe.
With clear eligibility rules, strong tax advantages, and cities facing growing spatial and environmental constraints, intermediate vehicles are emerging as a practical and forward-looking commuting option.
For HR departments, fleet managers, CFOs, and sustainability leaders, this is an ideal moment to evaluate how L6e and L7e microcars can complement existing mobility offerings.
And for policymakers across Europe, Belgium demonstrates how thoughtful legislation can open the door to lighter, more resource-efficient forms of mobility — a direction increasingly aligned with European climate objectives.
Microcars will not replace the car or the bike. But they have a clear role to play, and Belgium may be one of the first countries to embrace this shift at scale.
