Landau visits 1st electric vehicle charging station

Energy and water minister inaugurates Israel’s first ever public electric vehicle charging station, in Mitzpe Ramon.

By SHARON UDASIN
Landau charges up his car in Mitzpe Ramon 370 (photo credit: Yossi Weiss)
Landau charges up his car in Mitzpe Ramon 370
(photo credit: Yossi Weiss)
Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau took the clean energy route on his way to this year’s Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference, hopping in a Better Place Renault Fluence from Ra’anana to Israel’s southernmost tip.
“It was an extraordinary journey by the way,” Landau said during his speech opening the conference on Tuesday.
On the way, Landau inaugurated Israel’s first ever public electric vehicle charging station, in Mitzpe Ramon, which will now add to the Better Place electric vehicle infrastructure in place all over the country.
During last year’s Eilat-Eilot conference, Landau had promised that this year he would drive down in an electric vehicle, and he made due on said promise.
“We will see that the market for electric cars will be open to everyone, will be competitive and will put the consumer at the center,” Landau said in a statement, following his trip.
“We will promote all technologies from all manufacturers – we want to see Israel filled with electric vehicles of every type from every company.”
In addition to his drive through Israel in the Better Place car, Landau also tested out a Dor Energy Skoda Octavia with an M15 methanol fuel mix, which he said made the air much cleaner.
Electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles are crucial in ways beyond environmental protection, as fueling at a gas station provides between 20 and 30 percent of terrorist funding, he added in the statement.
“We want to see the diminution of our dependence on other countries,” he said during his opening conference speech.
Turning to electric and hybrid vehicle use, as well as to renewable energy deployment at large, will help create a more independent Israel with less reliance on terrorist regimes, he added.
“An inseparable part of our resilience is the energetic security with which we deal here today,” Landau said. “The Zionist answer to terrorism is — we are going to strengthen the State of Israel, strengthen energy security with another green rooftop, another solar field.”