Electric Car Sales Slow in Israel Amid Infrastructure Concerns
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Electric car sales in Israel have fallen sharply this year compared to last.
- Lack of charging infrastructure and leasing company reluctance are key factors.
- Tel Aviv shows slow electric car adoption despite high average incomes.
- Ashkelon and Petah Tikva are experiencing higher growth rates in electric car ownership.
- Income and charging station availability are not the only drivers of adoption.
Sales of new electric cars in Israel have declined significantly this year, with only 27,259 delivered by the end of August, compared to 58,166 in the same period last year. This slowdown is partly attributed to importers overstocking in the previous year, impacting this year's deliveries. A Ministry of Energy report identified a lack of charging infrastructure and leasing companies' reluctance to adopt electric vehicles as key reasons for the weakening demand.
Analysis of major cities reveals contrasting trends. Tel Aviv, despite its high average income of NIS 21,283 for salaried workers, saw a modest 3.7% increase in electric car registrations this year, adding only 1,227 vehicles to reach a total of 28,327. This is a stark contrast to a 48% growth rate between 2024 and 2025 in the previous year. The city has one public charging station for every 249 registered electric cars.
In contrast, Ashkelon, with a lower average salary of NIS 12,728, experienced a 25% increase in electric car ownership, adding 2,993 vehicles to reach 15,613 by the end of September. This growth, while still a slowdown from the previous year's 33% increase, outpaced Tel Aviv. Ashkelon has one public charging station for every 243 electric cars.
Petah Tikva also showed stronger growth than Tel Aviv, with a 17.6% increase this year, adding 2,880 electric cars to reach 20,387. The average salary there is NIS 16,000. Beer Sheva saw a 16.6% increase, reaching 14,072 electric cars, a slowdown from the previous year's 33% growth. Beer Sheva boasts the best ratio of electric cars to charging stations among the cities examined, with one station for every 213 vehicles.
The data suggests that income level and the availability of public charging stations are not the sole indicators of electric car adoption. The article concludes that electric cars have shifted from being a trend to a less sought-after product, and that widespread charging infrastructure is crucial for the electric vehicle revolution in Israel.
Read the original at CalcalistMentioned
