Posted on 26 Oct 2022
The Moskvich Automotive Plant, formerly Renault’s Moscow carmaking plant, is scheduled to be relaunched in December, says Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The enterprise will initially be engaged in assembly of cars and, in future, a deeper localisation of production is expected, Sobyanin explains.
According to the Moskvich press service, the plant is currently in the active stage of preparation for the start of car production. By the end of this year, the company plans to produce about 600 vehicles, including 200 electric vehicles (EVs), Kallanish notes.
Next year, production volumes are planned to grow to 50,000 vehicles, of which 10,000-20,000 will be with an electric motor. The full production cycle with welding and body painting is scheduled for 2024. Moskvich plans to produce five models under the Moskvich brand.
On 6 July, Sobyanin and Kamaz general director Sergey Kogogin signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of passenger cars and the production of domestic EVs.
In May, the Russian assets of the Renault Group passed into state ownership, after the carmaker suspended operations in Russia following the levying of Western sanctions (see Kallanish passim).
Renault Duster will become Lada and will continue to be produced in Russia, said Russian authorities. The model will change the brand and production site, but will remain on the market.
An agreement has also been reached with Renault for the possibility of producing Renault Duster cars at AVTOVAZ, but under the Lada brand. The Dusters may have their name changed to Niva, to join the Niva Legend model family. Renault and Nissan crossovers produced at the new enterprise in Moscow will actually be called Moskvich (see Kallanish passim).
Carmakers in Russia continued to decrease output in January-August to only 325,000 units, down by 64.6% on-year. In August alone, almost 25,000 units were produced, down 69% on-year, but 27.6% more than in the previous month.
Source:Kallanish
