Israel opts for EVs and natural gas trucks

Sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned in Israel from 2030, replaced by electric vehicles and natural gas trucks.

The challenge will be creating an initial “critical mass” of cars to move the local industry away from gasoline and diesel engines, Israel’s energy minister Yuval Steinitz says in releasing a plan for the change-over.

“We are already encouraging by funding charging stations, more than 2000 new charging stations around the country,” Steinitz told Reuters.

He says the government will also “reduce taxation on electric cars to almost zero, so they are going to be much cheaper”.

Israel wants to move completely away from petrol, diesel and coal use, but has big natural gas deposits, providing a cleaner-burning fossil fuel, and it is converting its power stations accordingly.

The minister’s plan was released a day after a UN report on climate change called for major changes in the way energy is used.

The tipping point is expected around 2025, when, according to the ministry’s target, there will be about 177,000 electric cars on the road in Israel. About 700 EVs operate in the country now, among nearly 3.5 million vehicles on Israel’s roads.

After 2025 it will become easier and cheaper to own EVs, so the ministry expects EV numbers to reach nearly 1.5 million by 2030.

“From 2030 we won’t allow anymore the import of diesel or gasoline cars to Israel,” Steinitz says.

All new cars will be electric. Buses and trucks will be either electric or run on compressed natural gas.

The government could approve the plan by the end of the year.

Orders for EVs like the Jaguar I-Pace are reportedly already being taken there.