Driving Into Denial: Why Israelis Are Buying Chinese Cars

Israelis cope with crisis — one Chinese EV at a time

2025 hasn’t been a great year. For anyone. Whenever I start to complain, I shut myself up by thinking of the families of hostages, of parents who lost their 19-year-old sons in Gaza, of people whose homes were blown apart by Iranian missiles in June, of women raising kids alone while their husbands serve their second year of reserve duty. Yeah. I’d better shut up.

And yet, in the midst of all this, I notice something strange. The cost of living is skyrocketing, shrinkflation is strangling supermarkets and restaurants, and apartments are completely unaffordable—and still… Israelis are buying Chinese cars.

Did I miss a meeting? Is this some elite-level denial? Carpe diem with a battery? Did the giant SUV ads plastered over tunnels and bridges actually work? Is the payment plan so attractive no one can say no? I just don’t get it.

Our roads can’t handle any more cars—traffic is already a nightmare. You can get stuck on Highway 1 at midnight. Why does anyone think a new car will fix anything?

But here it is. My parking lot is now dotted with charging stations. In the mall, the electric hum follows you. I used to pride myself on knowing every car brand—no longer. Now there’s Jax, Geely, BYD, Lynk & Co, and MG (yes, Chinese too).

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By the numbers

• In 2023, Chinese brands made up 61% of all EV sales in Israel, selling 29,402 vehicles—more than double the 2022 total

• Early 2025: 30,693 Chinese-made cars (EVs and fuel vehicles) were delivered in the first four months, up 24.4% year-over-year

• January–February 2025, Chinese EVs accounted for 86.6% of Israel’s EV market, with 9,530 units sold

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Let that sink in: even while 40% of Israeli families are “in the minus,” a massive wave of Chinese cars is flooding our roads—fuel and electric alike. Somebody’s convinced them the gas savings justify another monthly payment.

But it doesn’t. Hate to break it to you—it takes 4–6 years to break even on an EV purchase in Israel. By then, that shiny Chinese car you’re so proud of may not even be sold anymore.

Still worth it, right? They’re shiny. Plush. Luxurious. They hum. They obey your touch and your voice. A perfect user experience—if your bank account can keep up.

Maybe we are a nation of post‑traumatized escapists. We can’t remove Bibi or Smotrich—but we can lease something that lifts us off the ground, lets us forget the shit we’re in. After all—you’ll never afford an apartment. So you might as well buy the dream on four wheels

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