Chinese electric vehicles have been gaining popularity among Greeks since last year when some of China's car brands entered the country's market.
The trend aligns with the Greek government's recent efforts to promote green transportation in order to meet carbon emission targets and support sustainable development. "Every day people come to the car showroom in the store. More and more new customers come to see cars and test drive them. Customers have greater recognition and interest in the brand," said a car sales consultant at a dealership in the Greek capital, Athens.
In Greece, the development of EVs is still in its infancy, with a market share of only about five percent.
The dense population, lack of infrastructure such as charging stations, and low replacement rates have all become factors restricting the development of EVs.
But in recent years, high gas prices have forced many Greeks to turn their attention to EVs.
"I did a lot of market research and visited a lot of stores. Chinese cars have excellent mechanical systems, along a great design and reasonable prices. It will also be an advantage if you sell second-hand cars in the future," said an Athens resident.
Data shows that in the first eight months of this year, the cumulative number of registered and licensed vehicles from various Chinese brands in Greece has exceeded 2,500.
Additionally, 250 Chinese electric buses purchased by Greece were put into service this year in Athens and Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city, significantly improving public transportation and enhancing the travel experience for residents.
Dimitris Kavvouris, Deputy CEO and Chief Strategy Officer of Syngelidis Automotive Companies, a dealership representing the Chinese EV brand MG, highlighted the brand's success in Greece and Europe, attributing it to its advanced technology and good value, rather than just affordability.
"It is not a matter how cheap they are because they give a great level of technology. Therefore this is what it makes them very successful in the Greek market, in the European market as a whole. So we're very happy that we commercialize the Chinese MG," Kavvouris said.
Chinese EVs gain popularity in Greece
Chinese EVs gain popularity in Greece
The Israeli government is set to prohibit 37 international aid organizations from operating in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank effective Jan 1, 2026, after authorities stated the groups failed to comply with stricter registration requirements, according to an Israeli media report on Tuesday.
The report from The Times of Israel cited the statement from Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, saying that the new regulations are based on security concerns aimed at removing non-government organizations' staff allegedly linked to so-called "terrorist organizations."
The report came after the Israeli government announced the same day that it would suspend the activities of several international aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, in the Gaza Strip starting January 1, 2026, citing the organizations' failure to submit information on their Palestinian staff as required.
Last year, Israel rolled out new regulations on registration requiring international aid groups to provide detailed information of their staff's names, funding sources, and operation status.
On Wednesday, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories stated that the registration mandates were necessary to prevent humanitarian supplies from being exploited by Hamas.
In an online interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Wednesday, Bushra Khalidi, policy lead at Oxfam, a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice, said the impact of the ban will be "devastating."
"It is devastating. We've seen the numbers from the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) a few weeks ago. We saw them in the summer. There's been a slight improvement, but that's not good enough for the time of a ceasefire. And six months after the famine was declared, we should have seen much more improvement in Gaza," said Khalidi.
"It's winter here in Palestine. It was raining. It rained a record (amount) of rain per millimeter yesterday in Palestine since 1992. So, the impact is devastating. But the fact that shelter materials, for example, cannot enter. For families, this will mean slower repairs. It will mean fewer supplies. It will mean a longer wait for basic services. It will directly affect the access to clean water, to sanitation, to shelter materials, to public health interventions. Aid that should be moving predictably will remain delayed, it will remain restricted and it will remain stranded," she added.
She also emphasized that the operating environment became nearly impossible for organizations to navigate long before the new ban was announced.
"We have been obstructed and blocked from operating freely and unobstructedly for the last two years by Israel. Israel has killed a record number of humanitarian workers in the last two years. It has bombed our premises, it has bombed our convoys, it has blocked our items. It has driven famine like conditions in Gaza because of blocking humanitarian access. So, I think it's really important to set that scene, is that what is happening now is nothing new. It only continues within the kind of campaign that Israel has orchestrated to drive basically the population of Gazans' survival. So, we are, we have not been able to enter any materials in since March, in fact, us and many other organizations. And of course that has severely restricted our ability to scale up our operations," said Khalidi.
Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, said on Wednesday that Israel's move is no different from cutting off lifesaving supplies for the local population, adding that the European Union has made clear that all obstacles to humanitarian access must be lifted.
Israel bans operations of 37 int'l aid groups in Gaza Strip, West Bank
