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Israel planning 2,500 electric car charging stations from north to south
By Itzhak Rabihiya
Energy Ministry publishes series of tenders to provide facilities across
The Ministry of Energy is planning to have at least 2,500 charging stations for electric vehicles stretching across the entire country by the middle of next year. Earlier this month, the ministry released its final list of towns and companies that will install the stations, a process that will be subsidized by the state –
Last year, the ministry published a series of different tenders with the explicit intention to have the stations installed by mid-2020. These stations will stretch from Kibbutz Dan on the northern border to Eilat, the southernmost city of
The decision to publish the tenders arose from the lack of motivation for importers to sell electric vehicles in
The ministry has also set a target that electric cars will comprise fully one quarter of all cars sold in
This is the first time that the ministry has published a tender offering government subsidies for municipalities and local councils to encourage alternative and clean energy.
One of the winning tenders covers 30 local councils, which will share a total subsidy of
Municipalities can build as many charging stations as they wish, but only a limited amount will be subsidized through the ministry. This explains why Tel Aviv did not submit a bid for the tender. Tel Aviv, which is in solid financial shape, has the ability to build an unlimited number of stations, and by not using the subsidy, can decide on its own schedule rather than being required to have the stations in place by mid-2020.
A second tender, for regular charging sockets in public places such as parking lots and entertainment districts, was won by nine different companies. Together they will install 812 charging sockets in 148 different places, and in return will receive a total grant of
The ministry is currently working on a third tender, for the installation of fast-charging stations that would enable an 80% battery charge in half an hour. This tender is expected to be published imminently. A third tender is being carried out in partnership with the Prime Minister's Office and its authority for alternative energy and smart transportation.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz expressed his support for what he called a "comprehensive and important step that corresponds to my vision to end
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