China's Hongqi electric luxury cars enter Israeli market

JERUSALEM, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automaker FAW Car has started selling Hongqi electric luxury cars in Israel, the Israeli car import dealership Samelet Group said Wednesday.

Hongqi, meaning "red flag" in the Chinese langugae, is China's iconic car brand established in 1958 and has been used as the vehicle for parades at national celebrations.

The first model offered in Israel is the Hongqi E-HS9, a full-size smart electric SUV with a length of 5.209 meters and a wheelbase of 3.11 meters.

It comes in two versions, a standard range of 460 km equipped with an 84-kWh battery, and a long range of 510 km with a 99-kWh battery.

"This is a vehicle that has never been seen before in the Israeli car market and largely also in the world," Samelet CEO Shay Feldman said.

FAW Group, parent of FAW Car, is one of China's oldest and largest automotive manufacturers. It was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in China's northern city of Changchun, Jilin Province.