That’s “recall” in the sense of ordering the return of products found to have some defect. The defect of the Chinese electric vehicles recalled by the IDF is their abundant capacity for surveillance and espionage (The Times of Israel, November 18, 2025).
Concerns about spying by Chinese EVs have been raised before, but the Israeli case “is particularly alarming,” opines Sergio Restelli. The involvement of the Israel Defense Forces has “intensified global concerns that Beijing’s EVs may function as covert surveillance devices.”
In November 2025, the IDF ordered the recall of hundreds of Chinese-made vehicles, mainly Chery Tiggo 8 Pro models, after a security audit found that the cars were equipped with cameras, microphones, and sensors capable of transmitting data to external servers. The vehicles, distributed to military officers with large families, were deemed potential intelligence-collection tools—effectively “computers on wheels” able to gather sensitive information near military sites….
Experts warned that simply disabling communications systems would not neutralize the risk; embedded sensors could still capture images, audio, and biometric data. The fact that the vehicles’ manufacturers were overseen by state-controlled commissions in Shanghai and Wuhan—entities linked to the Chinese Communist Party—heightened Israeli suspicions….
The fallout quickly spread. In the United Kingdom, several military bases imposed restrictions on Chinese-made EVs. At RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire—home to personnel tied to the Five Eyes intelligence network—drivers were told to park Chinese EVs at least two miles from sensitive facilities. Salisbury Plain, the UK’s largest military training area, banned them entirely. Although no nationwide policy exists, individual bases have moved to curb potential espionage risks. Security analysts warned that conversations inside these vehicles could be recorded, prompting guidance for officials to avoid discussing classified matters while driving.
Causes for concern have also emerged in other countries. It has turned out, for example, that Chinese-made electric buses in use in Norway and Denmark can be remotely controlled and remotely disabled. “China’s pursuit of technological supremacy appears increasingly intertwined with state intelligence objectives,” Restelli says. Yes, but replace the word “appears” with “is.”
November 2025 is a bit late for the Israeli government or military, or any government or military, to be recognizing and starting to counter the surveillance threat posed by Chinese electric vehicles and other gadgets made by companies answerable to the Chinese Communist Party. However, the familiar theorem of better late than never applies here also. Let’s hope everyone gets the memo.
Also see:
Carscoops: “Canada Just Let Cheap Chinese EVs Back In” (January 16, 2026)
