JERUSALEM, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel has launched a plan aiming to gradually move to non-polluting public city buses, the state's Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Sunday.
The cost of the plan is about 310 million new shekels (97.4 million U.S. dollars), subject to government approval.
The plan will inject 1.35 billion shekels to the Israeli economy by 2034, according to the ministry.
Public transportation in Israel is mow based on diesel-powered buses, with only 78 electric buses operating in cities.
The new plan includes moving to electric buses, of which operating and maintenance costs are lower. The goal of the plan is that by 2025, every new city bus will be electric.
As part of the plan, charging infrastructure for electric buses in parking lots and terminals will be installed, at a cost of 200 million shekels.
"The switch to non-polluting buses will lead to a significant improvement in air quality in city centers, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and noise hazards," the ministry noted.
It added that the plan will also reduce oil imports and lower long-term economic costs. Enditem
