Israel has become one of the most EV-friendly countries in the Middle East. Regular ICE vehicles are subject to high taxation (up to 83 percent, including purchase tax and VAT), while there is only a 10 percent tax on fully-electric models in Israel. Auto-importers are exploiting the unbalance between two kinds of cars, and the first brands to benefit from this are, of course, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers.

People in Israel are not only facing heft taxation when buying a vehicle, but they also have to burden 62 percent taxation when filling up their tanks. Thus, low tax levels on electric car purchases and tax-free electricity give this country no other option than to adopt EVs.

We realized the rising popularity of EVs in Israel and prepared a list of budget-friendly Chinese electric vehicles in order to help our visitors from Israel easily compare affordable EV options.

Budget-Friendly Chinese EVs in Israel Ranked (2022H2)

The price informations we published here are coming from manufacturers’ official statements. Please keep in mind that the EV purchase tax in Israel will be increased to 20 percent in 2023, and 35 percent in 2024. These prices are going up next year, and much higher a year after that.

Leapmotor T03

Leapmotor T03 is a small-size electric hatchback first hit the market in May 2020. It is the second EV that Dahua-backed EV start-up built and launched. T03 comes with a 41-kWh battery pack, which is enough to give this small EV a range of 403 kilometers, according to CLTC test cycle.

Chinese company recently announced that Leapmotor T03 has passed the European Union’s Whole Vehicle Type Approval and it is ready to be sold in EU. Leapmotor also officially confirmed its entry into the Israeli market with the very same model. First batch of T03 are on their way to Israel. The official pricing of the electric hatchback will be announced by Leapmotor’s partner in Israel called Metro Motor.

Leapmotor T03 Israel Price: Not Official (~125,000 NIS)

Geometry C

Geely’s affordable EV-only brand Geometry is very popular in Israel. In fact, according to the official registration data, Geometry C is the best-selling EV in Israel this year. It holds a whopping share of 22 percent of the country’s EV market. It is all thanks to Geometry C’s affordable price and its features that satisfy Israeli customers.

Geometry’s first SUV comes with a 150 kW single motor drivetrain option, a 53-kWh battery pack, and a CLTC range of 400 kilometers. This electric SUV is so light (~1,5 tons) that it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.

Geometry C Israel Price: 139,900 NIS

2022 MG ZS EV

MG ZS EV is one of the most affordable EV options in Europe. It is also considerably cheap in Israel. The standard range version (320 KM) is starting from 144K shekels. It has a 156 HP/114 kW front-wheel-drive motor and supports up to 76 kW DC charging.

2022 MG ZS EV Israel Price: 144,500 NIS

SERES 3

Dongfeng Motor has partnered up with Huawei to globalize its SERES-branded electric vehicles. Israel is one of the first places they went to sell EVs. The first vehicle made into the country is an electric crossover called SERES 3. It offers up to 405 kilometers of range when fully charged. It’s not particularly powerful as the new MG ZS EV with a 119 kW front motor, but it has a large boot compared to other options.

SERES 3 Israel Price: 144,900 NIS

BYD Atto 3

BYD Atto 3 is the newest option on our list that went on sale in Israel. It is known as 2022 BYD Yuan Plus in China. This electric SUV is based on BYD’s next-gen e-Platform 3.0 modular vehicle architecture. Atto 3 comes with a powerful 204 HP electric motor, 60.48-kWh battery, 150 kW DC charging support, and a reasonable price tag.

BYD Atto 3 Israel Price: 156,500 NIS

JAC e-JS4

JAC e-JS4 is being produced by China’s one of the largest automotive groups called JAC Motors. It is a fully electric compact SUV. Sehol E40X is the name of this vehicle’s Chinese version. It is also a single motor EV, which uses a 150 HP front unit. The battery capacity is 55-kWh and a range of 420 kilometers is possible when the battery is full.

JAC e-JS4 Israel Price: 139,900 NIS

Skywell ET5

Skywell is very new to passenger vehicles, but its experience in buses, commercial, and heavy-duty electric vehicles is unquestionable. Skywell ET5 is their first passenger EV. It is a large-size fully electric vehicle with a 72-kWh battery pack supplied by Farasis Energy. ET5 is not a cheap car, but the large interior might justify the high price for some customers.

Skywell ET5 Israel Price: 194,900 NIS

Maxus Euniq 6

Maxus Euniq 6 Israel Price: 198,300 NIS