RUSSIA REPORT
Autotor said it plans to start mass production of electric cars next year. One of the new models will be a city car for young drivers, and second one will be a car for people with limited liabilities.
The OEM already has developed a concept vehicle with the designers from Europe, and there are plans to assemble a test lot of several thousand electric vehicles in 2023. Three possible OEMs are considered as partners in the venture: Kia, Hyundai and BMW.
PSR Analysis: Considering that there is almost no market for electric passenger cars in Russia, the OEM can expect limited demand for these new cars. And without massive development of a charging infrastructure, there will be no chance for this market to develop. Additionally, climate conditions also add problems for electric car owners and reduce their sales potential. PSR
Maxim Sakov is Market Consultant – Russia Operations, for Power Systems Research