Chinese cars take Russian roads as major brands exit
Chinese automotive companies have come to dominate the Russian market. Currently, 6 out of 10 cars sold in Russia are from China. Chinese manufacturers quickly filled the gap left by European and American companies that withdrew after Russia's aggression against Ukraine, reports Rzeczpospolita.
The Russian automotive market has undergone a significant transformation over the past two years. After the invasion of Ukraine, major corporations from Europe, Japan, Korea, and the USA left the country, creating an opportunity for Chinese producers. Today, as much as 61% of cars sold in Russia come from China. For comparison, in 2022, Chinese cars made up only 18% of the Russian market, according to "Rz".
According to the French newspaper "La Tribune,"in 2024, sales of Chinese cars in Russia increased by 76%, reaching over 943,000 vehicles. Chinese brands primarily are driving the rebuilding of the local market. This recovery has brought sales back to 1.5 million cars annually, a level seen just before the aggression against Ukraine.
Leading this automotive shift is Great Wall Motor. The company sold 192,000 cars in Russia, growing almost 75% compared to the previous year, when its sales were slightly over 110,000 units. The subsequent positions on the sales list are occupied by the brands Chery and Geely, each with 158,000 vehicles sold. Changan (103,000 cars), Omoda (50,000), and Exeed (41,000) have also built strong positions.
Russian Lada continues to fight
Though Chinese companies dominate, the Russian market isn’t entirely devoid of domestic brands. AvtoVAZ, the producer of the well-known Lada, remains a significant player, although its role has diminished. The company's car sales increased by 34% to 440,000 units, but its market share fell from 31% to 28%. Before 2022, AvtoVAZ sold an average of half a million vehicles annually, but it is now unable to compete with the Chinese expansion.
Data cited by the analytical firm Inovev shows that although the Russian automotive market is recovering from the economic shock, it is still far from the performance seen between 2011-2014, when car sales in Russia exceeded 2 million units annually.
