JERUSALEM, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese carmakers dominated both Israel's overall and electric vehicle markets in the first half of 2026, according to data released Thursday by the Israel Vehicle Importers Association.
The Jaecoo 5, a subcompact crossover SUV manufactured by Chinese automaker Chery, was Israel's best-selling vehicle during the January-June period.
Available in gasoline, hybrid, and fully electric versions, the Jaecoo 5 sold 7,315 units during the period, ahead of South Korea's Hyundai Kona, which sold 7,262 units.
Another Chery model, the Jaecoo 7 compact crossover SUV, available in gasoline and hybrid versions, ranked third with 7,074 units sold.
Chery, which offers 11 models in Israel, was the country's top-selling automaker, delivering 40,564 vehicles during the period, followed by Japan's Toyota and South Korea's Hyundai, with over 16,000 units sold each.
Overall, Chinese manufacturers led the market with 77,625 units sold in the first half of the year, up 70.8 percent year-on-year. South Korean automakers ranked second with 29,081 units, followed by Japanese automakers with 18,494.
In the electric car market, China's XPeng Motors ranked first with 3,183 units sold, led by the XPeng G6 mid-size SUV, the country's best-selling electric model during the period. U.S. automaker Tesla came in second, with 3,155 units, followed by China's BYD Auto and Changan Automobile.
