New database reveals: Rehovot is the electric vehicle capital of Israel
A new database, govil.ai, uses AI to analyze government data, revealing key trends in the Israeli automotive market, from electric vehicle distribution to recall statistics and personal imports.
How many electric cars are there in Israel, where are they concentrated, for what type of malfunctions are cars called in for repair, where do car dealers live, and where do most vehicles in personal import come from? Answers to these questions, and many others, can be found in a new database – govil.ai. This private project uses AI tools to analyze government databases, making information previously buried in complex Excel tables accessible to the general public.
Electric vehicles dominate the center
One of the most interesting insights from the data concerns the location of electric vehicle owners. While one might assume electric vehicles are primarily for those commuting from the periphery to the center, the data suggests that prestige and technological preferences play a significant role in the central region.
Analysis shows that the Central District leads with 98,539 electric vehicles, accounting for about 39% of the total fleet. The Tel Aviv and Rehovot sub-districts are the most prominent, with 40,389 and 39,076 electric vehicles respectively, together representing 32% of the total. Private vehicles make up 77% of the fleet, while leasing and company cars add about 20%. The Jerusalem District (5.8%) and Judea and Samaria (4.1%) lag significantly behind in penetration rates.
Price trends and luxury vehicles
Using median price analysis, the database reveals that while popular vehicle prices have seen a decrease in 2026, the luxury segment has surged. The median price for a luxury vehicle in 2026 stands at 531,200 shekels, up from 490,000 last year. High-end brands like Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini are seeing record registrations, with prices often exceeding 3 million shekels.
Dealers and recalls
Jerusalem is the capital of car dealers with 697 registered, followed by Tel Aviv (444) and Netanya (398). Recalls have risen sharply over the years, from just two in 2000 to 435 in 2025. Toyota leads the list with 421 recalls since 2000, followed by Ford (381) and BMW (348). Airbags remain the most common specific cause for recall (593), though the vague "recall on another subject" category leads with 817 instances.
Personal imports
Personal imports are dominated by used vehicles, which account for 84.2% of the total. The USA and Germany are the primary sources, responsible for 78% of all personal imports since 1990. Mercedes, Toyota, and BMW remain the most popular brands in this category.
