Russian fuel crisis prompts rush for Chinese electric cars
Dealers say buyers are turning to electric models as gasoline and diesel shortages lift plug-in hybrid sales 125% in five months, Autostat said.
- Moscow car dealerships reported surging demand for electric vehicles as drivers seek alternatives to gasoline amid a worsening fuel crisis in Russia caused by Ukrainian strikes.
- Escalating Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure squeezed gasoline and diesel supplies in recent weeks, prompting restrictions and pushing fuel prices up more than 12% between January and May.
- Analytical agency Autostat reported about 24,600 new plug-in hybrids sold in the first five months of the year, up 125%, while fully electric car sales rose 19% to 4,460.
- Founder Yevgeniy Zabelin told Reuters on Wednesday that his dealership, which specializes in Chinese brands, now sells two to three electric vehicles daily, up from two to three monthly.
- Charging infrastructure remains a hurdle; customer Vasiliy said he relies on a private station, noting that Moscow charging is a 'real problem', while Autostat chief Sergei Tselikov reported 1,754 new plug-in hybrid registrations last week.
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Electric Vehicles Surge in Russia Amid Fuel Crisis
Amid a fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, the demand for electric vehicles in Russia is surging. Moscow dealerships report a significant rise in sales, largely driven by Chinese brands. The situation is pushing Russia's EV market into uncharted territories of growth.
Interest is rising both in the low-cost and premium segments. The trend towards alternative drives had already emerged before the acute crisis.
Russian fuel crisis prompts rush for Chinese electric cars
A Moscow car dealership is struggling to keep up with demand for new electric vehicles from China as drivers look to sidestep a fuel crisis that has led to long queues and soaring prices across much of Russia.
Despite ongoing fuel supply problems in Russia, sales of electric and hybrid vehicles increased by 90.7 percent in the first half of the year compared to last year, reaching 54,300. Their market share rose from 5.4 percent to 8 percent.
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