Minister Contacts Toyota, Honda, Requests More Hybrids
(IsraelNN.com) Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra has written to the CEOs of Toyota Motor Company and Honda Motor Company, asking them to increase the quota of hybrid cars they export to Israel, according to Globes online business magazine. Ezra contacted the companies in an effort to increase the number of cars in Israel which emit fewer pollutants. In response to Ezra's request, Toyota has agreed to increase its quota by 18 percent.
According to the Union of Motor Imports, demand for the Toyota Prius hybrid model totals 3,000 cars a year, with Toyota allocating only 1,400 units to Israel for 2008, due to a surging global demand for the environmentally-friendlier vehicles.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection lists hybrid car emissions at 50-70 percent of their gas-powered counterparts. Israel has recently instituted a tax break on hybrid cars, creating an increased demand.
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