The Ministry of Finance has rolled out the red carpet for electric car importers, headed by Better Place LLC, which aims to be the first regular importer of electric cars. The ministry has published its procedures for the regular import of electric motor vehicles, which sets out exceptions and general categories.
In the section on standards, the ministry states, "The motor vehicle will comply with the binding Israeli requirements, except for the requirement for electric motors. The system will meet international standards or the standards of the motor vehicle manufacturer, depending on the approval of the EU authorizing authority (EC) for electric motors."
A review by "Globes" found that the EU has not yet formulated a uniform standard for electric motors for vehicles. The European Commission is currently discussing a proposal for a standard, but approval is not expected before 2011. This means that there is no EU-authorized laboratory for approving electric motors for vehicles, but only laboratories authorized to examine such motors in different countries on the basis of national standards.
Another section of the regulations stipulates that importers must present "approval by an authorized laboratory that the converter connecting the motor vehicle to the electricity grid is adapted to the type of battery in the motor vehicle and the home electricity grid or other grid in Israel."
Vehicle industry sources said in response that the Ministry of Transport's decision to allow regular commercial imports of electric cars, even if there is no adaptor to recharge the cars from the home grid, but to "another grid" essentially paves a bypass of planning and buildings commissions with regard to the recharging systems, which could result in consumers' dependency on suppliers' proprietary grids. Industry sources say that this decision has direct antitrust repercussions.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 20, 2010
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