China's XPeng became the leader of Israel's electric vehicle market
According to data released on Sunday by the Israel Vehicle Importers Association, Chinese automaker XPeng Motors led Israel's electric vehicle (EV) market in the first seven months of 2026, selling 3,503 units. When traditional auto giants spent decades building market hierarchies, Chinese brands rewrote the rules in just a few years. XPeng, once seen as an exotic newcomer, now outsells Tesla in one of the most technologically advanced markets in the Middle East. And this is no coincidence but a pattern: Chinese manufacturers offered a combination of price, quality and innovation that proved highly appealing in a country where EVs have already become a daily reality rather than a trend. Israel's market has become yet another proof that the global auto industry is decisively shifting eastwards.
XPeng's Israeli line-up includes the G6 and G9 mid‑size electric crossovers, the P7 executive sedan and the X9 seven‑seat luxury minivan. US‑based Tesla ranked second with 3,162 vehicles sold, followed by China's Changan Automobile with 2,318 units. Over seven months, Chinese brands dominated Israel's EV market with a commanding share of more than 70 percent. In the overall automotive market, including petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles, Chinese manufacturers led with 90,206 units sold. They were followed by South Korea with 32,728 units and Japan with 20,981 units. Chinese company Chery topped the overall market with 46,542 vehicles sold, followed by Japan's Toyota with 19,028 and South Korea's Hyundai with 18,023.
Israel is one of the fastest‑growing EV markets in the world, with the government actively encouraging the shift to green transport through tax incentives and charging infrastructure development. Chinese brands, including XPeng, BYD, Geely and Chery, have entered this market aggressively in recent years, offering a broad model range and competitive pricing. The success of XPeng and Chery in the overall market shows that Chinese automakers are increasingly competitive not only in the EV segment but also in traditional categories, gradually displacing Japanese and Korean brands that had long dominated the region.
As CCTV+ reports, the confident leadership of Chinese auto brands in Israel confirms a global trend: quality, technology and a strategy of expansion are making Chinese cars desirable in the world's most demanding markets, and this success only strengthens China's position in the global automotive industry.
