Elbit told employees about a week ago that Chinese lease cars in its fleet, including Geely models, will be phased out. The change will not happen immediately, but through a long process that is expected to continue well into next year, as Elbit simply lets existing leases expire and replaces them with non-Chinese cars. The company operates about 4,400 vehicles, and workers will instead get Skoda, Toyota, which is already common in the fleet, and Hyundai.
Elbit’s move fits a broader trend in Israel’s security sector. In recent months, Calcalist reported that defense bodies first barred Chinese cars from intelligence bases, then from all bases, and eventually the IDF collected such vehicles from career soldiers. Rafael also used Chery cars, but those vehicles have been gradually leaving the company and being replaced with non-Chinese models. Police officers still drive BYD cars, even after the Pentagon last week said the company has military ties in China, but Calcalist reported that the police have decided to part with Chinese vehicles.
Other large state-linked fleets are now reviewing their purchases. Mekorot says the Chinese-car issue is under examination, and Israel Electric Corporation has offered workers MG and BYD models in recent leasing tenders. Employees choosing an electric car also received a higher taxable-benefit bracket to encourage the switch, and internal data obtained by Calcalist shows most of the company’s vehicle procurement is Chinese. Workers who did not want an electric car could choose a Chery Tiggo 8.
The article says Chinese cars now dominate many categories that leasing customers need, including electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and large six-seat SUVs. Internal Transportation Ministry data reviewed by Calcalist also show a strong tilt toward registrations to fleets for brands such as Chery and Jaecoo. That has made Chinese cars a sensitive issue, especially for organizations with security links. The article notes that two years ago Israeli regulators did not see Chinese cars as a threat, but U.S. pressure, defense concerns, and the practical problem of employees being barred from entering bases in Chinese cars have changed the picture. The Transport Ministry says cyber regulation for vehicles is still moving through legislation, while the ministry is preparing professional guidelines for the market.
