Israel Regulates Public Electric Vehicle Charging with New Licensing and Service Rules

Israel's Electricity Authority has introduced comprehensive regulations for the country's public electric vehicle (EV) charging market, marking the first official licensing of public charging station operators. The new rules, announced on Sunday, will apply to most public charging stations nationwide, including those at gas stations, shopping centers, hotels, parking lots, and urban locations.

Under the new framework, operators must clearly display prices, provide customer service centers, and keep drivers informed with up-to-date information. A key change requires fast-charging stations to accept occasional payments via credit card without prior registration or app downloads, enhancing accessibility for EV drivers. The regulations are expected to cover approximately 90% of the public charging market, as licenses will be granted to companies operating stations with a combined capacity exceeding 8 megawatts.

Eleven companies have completed the application process and will receive official eight-year licenses. These include EV Edge, EV Edge Innova, Afcon Electric Transport, Greenspot, Dor Alon, Zaan Energy Charging, Tesla Israel, Nofar EV, Sonol EV, Scala Smart Energy, and Paz. Previously, the sector operated under a temporary 2018 directive allowing electricity sales at charging stations without dedicated licenses. The Electricity Authority aims to increase transparency, competition, and regulatory certainty for both EV owners and charging network operators in Israel.