Transportation Minister Miri Regev signed an amendment to the traffic regulations, which removes a regulatory barrier - and allows for the first time the import of electric SUVs into Israel.
As part of the amendment, the definition of 'SUV' in the traffic regulations was updated, so that the existing requirement for an engine capacity of up to 2,000 cc will apply to vehicles with internal combustion engines only.
This allows electric SUVs to meet the definition's requirements, even though they are not measured by engine displacement.
Until now, the existing definition has created a de facto import barrier for electric SUVs. The amendment removes the barrier, updates the regulation in line with technological developments in the automotive market, and allows Israel to align with the global trend of transitioning to electric propulsion and reducing air pollution.
The move is expected to expand the variety of tools offered to the public, encourage innovation and competition in the industry, and enable the introduction of additional advanced technologies into the Israeli market.
Minister of Transportation: "We continue to lead a policy that removes barriers, encourages innovation and adapts Israeli regulation to the transportation world of tomorrow. The amendment to the regulations that I signed opens the Israeli market to electric SUVs, expands the public's choice, strengthens competition and promotes clean and environmentally friendly technologies. This is another step in the policy that we are leading to promote advanced, smart and green transportation in the State of Israel.""
Ministry of Transportation Director General Moshe Ben Zaken: "This is an important amendment that removes a regulatory barrier that was irrelevant to the current technological era, and allows the Israeli market to develop in accordance with global trends. The Ministry of Transportation continues to work to update regulations, remove barriers, and encourage the entry of innovative transportation solutions, while maintaining public safety and promoting environmental and economic interests.""
