JY is one of the youngest car manufacturers in China. Formerly known as Yudo, the company rebranded after being acquired by the JuneYao Group, owner of a mid-sized Chinese airline that primarily operates domestic flights.
The Air is the brand’s first model under the new identity: a fully electric sedan initially launched in Thailand, where demand for EVs is booming. Only later did it enter the domestic Chinese market. Now, it’s officially arriving in Israel with full regulatory approval, marketed by parallel importer Automax.
This same company previously brought over the Yudo 3, a compact electric city car that failed to make an impact here, in part due to limited safety features—just two airbags and no advanced driver-assistance systems.
A family EV contender: Compared to the Skoda Octavia, the JY Air is 15 cm shorter (455 cm) but offers a wheelbase that’s 11.5 cm longer (286.5 cm). The trunk is located in the rear and is slightly smaller than average for a compact sedan, at 420 liters.
A rear-mounted electric motor produces 217 hp, enabling the Air to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. Power comes from a 64 kWh battery offering a theoretical range of 430 km. Fast charging (at 90 kW) can top the battery from 30% to 80% in just 21 minutes. The car also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, allowing the battery to power external devices.
Other key details: According to the manufacturer, the Air boasts an exceptionally low drag coefficient of 0.23. The base version (NIS 162,000) comes standard with an 8.8-inch digital gauge cluster, a 15.6-inch touchscreen and a 360-degree parking camera system.
The premium version (NIS 182,000) adds faux leather upholstery, power-adjustable and ventilated front seats, a wireless charging pad, sunroof, power-operated trunk and larger 19-inch wheels (up from 17 inches).
Both trims offer the same safety suite, including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and a door-opening hazard alert.
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Our take: JY is a small and relatively new player trying to compete with China’s auto giants. As such, it’s hard to predict how well its debut model will perform, especially since it’s not backed by a major local importer. It’s unlikely to win favor with large fleet buyers.
However, the base version is attractively priced. Compared to similarly sized EVs, it’s relatively affordable. Its main competition comes not from other electric sedans, but from combustion-engine models like the Skoda Octavia (just NIS 3,000 more) and the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid (NIS 5,000 more)—both strong contenders that will pose a serious challenge.