Romania Reopens Its Rabla EV and Car Scrappage Incentive on November 3. How Much Is Left for EVs?
Romania's Environment Fund (AFM) is reopening Rabla Auto 2026 for private buyers using money left unclaimed earlier this year. Here is how the budget is split, what an EV or plug-in hybrid voucher is worth and how to apply.
Romanian drivers who missed the summer rush are getting another shot. On Thursday, October 29, the Environment Fund Administration (AFM) announced that Rabla Auto 2026, the national scrappage and new-car incentive for private individuals, reopens on Tuesday, November 3, at 10:00 local time. The money isn't new: it comes from earlier reservations whose applicants never completed the process. Romania's Environment Ministry confirmed the session in a press release carried by the AGERPRES news agency.
How the 35.4 million lei is split
The total on offer is 35,389,000 lei (roughly €7 million), in three pots:
- 25,600,000 lei for new combustion cars (including LPG/CNG) and regular hybrids;
- 9,239,000 lei for new plug-in hybrids, fully electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars;
- 550,000 lei for motorcycles, combustion or electric.
According to the ministry, the rules match the previous session, including the voucher amounts: 18,500 lei for an electric or hydrogen car, 15,000 lei for a plug-in hybrid or an electric motorcycle, 12,000 lei for a hybrid and 10,000 lei for a combustion car or motorcycle.
Why speed matters
A quick calculation shows how small the EV pot is. If every leu in the second pot went to fully electric cars, it would cover about 499 vouchers. If it went only to plug-in hybrids, about 615.
For context, the session list in AFM's own app shows that in the August 25 round, the EV budget of nearly 95 million lei ran out in under 42 minutes, with more than 7,800 applications. This time the pot is roughly ten times smaller.
What's different when you apply
AFM says that only financing request forms published in the app from November 3, 10:00 are valid for this session. Forms downloaded earlier won't be accepted. The form has to be downloaded, filled in and uploaded at the moment of enrollment.
Once you get a registration number, you have 10 days to enter the old car's VIN, upload the required documents and pick a producer validated in the program.
Enrollment is online at inscrierionline.afm.ro. The session stays open until December 31, 2026, 23:59, or until the money runs out, whichever comes first.
AFM president Florin Bănică said the goal of reallocating the leftover funds is to reach as many beneficiaries as possible while helping replace Romania's aging car fleet with cleaner vehicles.
What it means for drivers
If you want an EV or plug-in hybrid through Rabla, prepare in advance, because a pot of just over 9 million lei can vanish fast:
- Check your AFM account before November 3 and make sure you can log in quickly.
- Have your old car's papers ready, including the VIN, for the step after enrollment.
- Download the form only on November 3, after 10:00, fill it in and upload it right away. An old form can void your application.
- Pick your model and a validated producer early, so the 10-day window isn't spent shopping.
- Read AFM's program rules before signing anything, so you know exactly how the voucher applies to your purchase.
In short, it's a real second chance, but a small one. The people ready at 10:00 sharp will get it.
