The Ministry of Infrastructure is considering changing the regulations on driving licenses, and it can be understood from the written answer of the minister’s assistant that the aim is to implement a European model that allows drivers with traditional driving licenses to drive electric cars that weigh up to 4.25 tons. Now more tests are needed for that. The minister’s inaction in this matter has been criticized.
“Our excellent state apparatus found out some time ago that it was not possible to convert medium-sized vans into electric vehicles, i.e. vans in the so-called N1 and N2 classes, but examples of such cars are the FIAT Ducato, Ford Transit, Renault Master, etc. To drive these cars with a diesel engine, you only need a general driving license, but when the same car becomes an electric car, it is heavier and exceeds the 3.5 ton category and requires drivers with increased driver’s license,” says Pétur Kristján Þorgrímsson, director of ÍSBAND, in an interview with Morgunblaðið.
He says that he has talked to the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Transport Agency over the past year, who agree that this needs to be changed, but nothing happens in the matter despite that.
According to the current driving license regulation, it is stipulated that traditional driving privileges do not allow drivers with such privileges to drive cars heavier than 3.5 tons. However, the Minister of Infrastructure has been repeatedly asked to change the regulation in such a way as to allow holders of traditional driving rights to drive cars weighing up to 4.25 tons, which is in accordance with a directive from the European Union that has been implemented in this country, but the Minister has not complied.
The Association of Trade and Services and the Automotive Association have requested that the regulation be changed in accordance with the authority in the European directive mentioned earlier. The regulation in question has been changed twice in recent months, without taking this into account.
Pétur Kristján says that the Ministry of Infrastructure is aware of this obstacle to electrifying medium-sized vans and that the solution is available. According to assistant’s answer is likely to come true.
You can read more about the case on page 6 of today’s Morgunblaði
