Rami Levy Chain said last Thursday that it was teaming up with car importer Delhom to sell Chinese BAIC and Arcfox vehicles in Israel. Most prices were not disclosed at first, but four days later official prices for some models, along with promotional prices, were published. Internal Rami Levy data show that more than 200 cars of all types have already been sold.
The BAIC family model, the EU 5, has an official price of 130,000 shekels and a promotional price of 100,000 shekels. The importer says it can travel about 400 kilometers, but that figure is based on the older NEDC standard, not WLTP, so real-world range is expected to be lower. The documents also note that range depends on speed, driving style, tire condition, terrain, accessories, weather, battery state at departure, and proper charging. The car has only two airbags, and it is imported under Israel’s “small series” regime, which limits imports to 400 units a year. Other listed models include the all-electric Arcfox Alpha S and Alpha T.
The report says the deal is about more than sales. In the BAIC case, industry sources say the Chinese maker asked Delhom to finance homologation, meaning adapting the vehicles to European rules used in Israel. In exchange for proving it can sell a small quota, the importer would gain the right to finance full homologation, while the manufacturer and importer both benefit from lower pricing and early market entry.
The Arcfox cars were previously imported by other companies. The brand was first held by EV Motors, then by businessman Avi Dayan, a member of the Dayan family that controls Trade Mobil and Petrotech. According to the report, Delhom bought both Dayan’s stock and his import rights. The article says the arrangement is also designed to squeeze competitors, since both brands still have other local importers, including the Varian Motors agency for Arcfox and the Kaddori Group’s HaMaa’gar for BAIC. Heavy discounting, the report says, signals to rival importers that they may struggle to meet the manufacturers’ quotas.
