Premium electric vehicle maker Nio began selling five of its models in Israel in 2023, initially importing them from Norway through indirect channels.
Delek Motors, one of the country’s largest automotive distributors, later supported the brand’s market entry after being appointed a year ago as the official distributor for Nio in Israel, including its sub-brands Onvo and Firefly.
The two companies jointly opened Nio’s first flagship showroom in the country late last year as part of the brand’s formal launch.
The Israeli website of Nio on Friday appeared to be hijacked to display a pro-hostage awareness message tied to the ongoing Gaza conflict, featuring a countdown widget and slogans calling for the return of Israeli captives.
A banner embedded in the bottom corner of the homepage displayed a timer labeled “Dozens kidnapped by Hamas” and a call to action: “Bring them home now,” linking to an activist campaign site associated with the families of hostages held since October 7, 2023.
The banner is linked to website stories.bringthemhomenow[dot]net, allegedly operated by an Israeli civil society group urging action from the government and international community for the release of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attacks.
The unauthorized appearance of political content on a corporate website suggests that the site may have been compromised or altered without the company’s consent.
The site remained accessible as of Friday morning, with the embedded widget still visible alongside marketing material for the NIO EL7 SUV and other models.
Also late last year, the company held a launch event in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and announced it would expand to Azerbaijan.
Nio’s first Israeli store is located in Herzliya, a city within the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, and opened its doors this month, showcasing five models from the Nio brand: the ET5, and three SUVs: the EL6, EL7, and the three-row SUV EL8.
When annoucing the expansion to the MENA region, the company also unveiled plans to establish local production there, which would become its first manufacturing plant outside China.
