Israeli Transport Ministry Extends Chery Import License Until 2030 While Other Importers Await Decisions

The Israeli Ministry of Transport recently extended the import license for Chery vehicles until 2030, despite the Competition Authority's recommendation against a long-term renewal. Following this extension, Chery's importer, Carasso Group, announced the introduction of a new Chery sub-brand, Leopaard, to the Israeli market. However, other car importers have not received similar long-term license renewals, according to Ministry records covering January to July and upcoming license statuses.

For nearly a year, the Ministry of Transport, in coordination with the Competition Authority, has been reviewing market concentration in the automotive sector. Until 2025, import licenses were typically renewed automatically for several years. Since last year, the Ministry has strictly applied a policy requiring consultation with the Competition Authority before renewing licenses, with a focus on market competitiveness. Many importers holding licenses for Chinese car brands are currently under review.

Some importers with non-Chinese brands face uncertainty as their licenses near expiration without long-term renewal. For example, Mercedes-Benz, Smart, and Mitsubishi licenses, all part of the Calmobile Group, which also imports Chinese brands Umida and JAC, are valid only until the end of this year. Similarly, the AION license, linked to Super-Pharm's network, expires at the end of this month and has not yet been extended. The Geely license, held by Union Group (importer of Toyota, Geely, and AION), also expires at year-end. Kia's license is valid until the end of September, as is the license for Chinese brand SERES.

The Ministry's records reveal a number of licenses that exist "on paper" but have no actual sales in Israel, due to various reasons such as franchise collapses, manufacturer failures, or non-compliance with Israeli standards. This list includes mostly Chinese brands like WEY, EVEASY, Modern, Skywell, NETA, SERES, and Forthing. Surprisingly, some luxury brands like Aston Martin (imported by Auto Art) and Maserati (imported by Semelat) also reported zero sales this year despite holding valid licenses. Sports car brand Abarth also has a license held by Semelat but no sales. Additionally, brands like JAC and Jonway remain licensed under AutoMax, which collapsed last year.