Egypt allows imports of used electric cars

CAIRO – 31 March 2018: Trade Minister Tarek Kabil issued a decision that allows the imports of used electric cars, on condition that they are no more than three years old.

Kabil said in a statement on Saturday that the rules for importing cars in general do not allow the imports of used cars, but an exception has been made for electric cars to encourage the use of these environment-friendly vehicles.

He said that these cars do not use traditional fuel sources, which helps in reducing pollution. They are also cost-efficient and are exempted from custom duties, Kabil added.

The minister confirmed the ministry’s keenness on encouraging the manufacturing of electric cars in Egypt, especially after launching a network for the transport and maintenance of electric cars in Egypt.

Kabil said that many countries around the globe are heading towards this kind of cars, with some countries, such as Britain, announcing that it will only allow electric cars on roads by 2040.

Unlike conventional vehicles that use a gasoline or diesel-powered engine, electric cars and trucks use an electric motor powered by electricity from batteries or a fuel cell, and therefore they are cleaner than the most efficient conventional vehicles.

Egypt has been working on boosting its car industry, with several companies expressing their interest to invest in the automotive sector in Egypt.

Kabil said in previous statements that the current investment in the auto industry is about $3 billion; $1.6 billion in the automotive industry and $1.4 billion in the feeding industries.

The car industry in Egypt has about 170 companies, including 19 companies that manufacture and assemble cars of all kinds, including passenger cars, buses, micro and minibuses, and transport vehicles, while more than 150 companies are engaged in the manufacture of a number of car components.