Rumors become expectations: Renault CEO to arrive in Israel for electric car project presentation
Globes, one of Israel's leading economic publications, has announced that Carlos Ghosn (Renault President and CEO) is expected to go to Israel for the dedication ceremony for Project Better Place on January 21st. This project by Shay Agassi is the famous Israeli EV venture we've been speaking about for a long time (check the related links below). Investment is expected to be in the range of $150-300 million but the car won't be built in Israel (maybe by Chery?)On the other hand, the Green Tax Committee that recommended a purchase tax of 10 percent (compared to 78 percent on regular cars, if you wondered) said that this break should be ended if the market share for EVs exceeds 20 percent. This measure could be valid through the end of 2014 if it's protecting an emerging industry. The GTC also recommended taxing electricity so the cost per kilometer would be similar to the cost of using gasoline or diesel.
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[Source: Globes online (h/t to Zohar for the tip)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GoodCheer 9:15AM (1/12/2008)
"The GTC also recommended taxing electricity so the cost per kilometer would be similar to the cost of using gasoline or diesel."
How many hundreds of percent tax on electricity would that require? The cost to operate an EV here is usually quoted as 1.5-3 cents/mile, while gas would be about 10 cents/mile ($3 gas, 30 mpg)... so that would require 7-8.5 cents tax on 1.5-3 cents worth of electricity not including the current tax on the retail price.
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Simon 9:14AM (1/12/2008)
That must be a mistake. The whole business model that Project Better Place relies on cheap electricity. My understanding as Shai explained it was that monthly costs would be around the same as you pay now for a car. In this case it would include the cost of the electricity, leasing of the battery, upkeep of the recharge grid, plus paying off any subsidy that went towards the car.
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Dave 10:21AM (1/11/2008)
Well, the Jews finally figured out they have been funding terror by driving cars...why can't we?! Awesome effort, and so many secondary benefits for the economy and environment.
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Chris M 8:22AM (1/12/2008)
Typical tax committe idiocy - offer a big discount on sales tax, then slap a 300% tax on the electricity needed! Well, maybe not so idiotic, in the long run it could mean a lot more tax revenue coming in, at the expense of lost sales to the oil companies. Or it could mean a lot of people cheating by plugging into untaxed outlets.
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