32,000 new cars were delivered in June in Israel, according to sources in the car import industry, an all-time record figure for a single month. This brings to about 183,000 the number of new cars delivered in the first half of 2021, very nearly the same number as was delivered in all of 2020.
A source in the car industry told "Globes" that were it not for a lack of chips for new cars due to the global shortage of chips, then the number of new car deliveries in June would have been 15%-20% higher.
At present most importers in Israel only have inventory to supply new cars for one month with demand for some popular models and waiting lists stretching ahead to the fourth quarter of 2021 and even the first half of 2022.
Car industry sources explain that part of the soaring demand is the result of shortages last year in supplying car fleets, realizing major profits by many investors, and spending savings because people have been unable to go on their usual summer vacation.
Included in the rising new car sales is a big jump in the number of electric cars being sold in Israel. 5,000 electric cars were delivered in the first six months of 2021, triple the number of electric cars sold in all of 2020, which was a record year. Tesla has delivered 2,900 cars since the beginning of 2021 and is one of the top sellers in Israel of cars that cost more than NIS 200,000.
Not only are the car importers and leasing companies enjoying one of their most profitable years ever, the Ministry of Finance is also collecting record taxes. Estimates are that the Ministry of Finance will rake in NIS 2.5-3 billion this year above average on purchase tax alone, while traffic jams and congestion become even worse.
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