Israel aims for 'green' goal of one-third of country's cars to be electric by 2030

Approximately 30% of all cars on Israeli roads will be electric by 2030, according to projections from Israel's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

If these projections come to fruition, it would represent a dramatic increase for the Jewish nation from 70,0000 electricity-driven vehicles to some 1.3 million in less than a decade.

In addition, the ministry is projecting that 35% of all buses in Israel will be running on electricity by 2030, and by 2050, all buses are expected to be fully electric or hydrogen-driven.

Ron Eifer, who heads the ministry’s sustainable energy division, stressed that the electric vehicle (EV) forecast is designed to help the Israeli market make the transition into electric transportation.

“Our forecast will help the market and the electricity sector to prepare for the clean transportation revolution and will be a key tool for government ministries in the advancement of this field,” Eifer said.

“The transition to electric transportation is one of the most significant steps in the transition to a clean, efficient and emission-free energy economy and a major step in the fight against the climate crisis,” he added.

However, this emission-free vision would require Israel to dramatically upgrade and expand the infrastructure for electric vehicles across the country, including charging stations.

Israeli society has been gradually moving in a 'greener' direction for years.

During the first 11 months of 2022, some 24,000 electric vehicles were sold in the Israeli market.

While Western electric cars, such as Tesla and Volvo are increasingly popular, 64% of the EVs sold in Israel are Chinese due to the substantially lower cost.