Electric and hybrid vehicles to get tax breaks, ministry announces
Measures intended to encourage purchase of green cars
In a move designed to jump-start the adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles by the local market, the treasury will offer tax benefits to buyers who purchase these vehicles, according to a Finance Ministry press release issued on Sunday.
The announcement is in keeping with the ministry’s Green Tax policy, in which benefits are offered by the Tax Authority for environment-friendly cars while increasing the tax on non-fuel efficient vehicles.
According to the plan, which is to go into effect on June 1, the purchase tax for electric vehicles will drop from 10% to 8% for 2012-2013, while the tax on hybrid vehicles will remain 30% rather than increasing to 45% as originally planned.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles, which use rechargeable batteries and can be plugged into external electric sources, will be taxed 20% in 2013. The tax rate for these vehicles will increase annually until 2017, at which time they will be fully taxed.
Regular cars carry a purchase tax of 83%.