Experts doubt the possibility of reviving the Moskvich brand at the Renault site

Ekaterina Ivanova

The head of the press service of the analytical agency "AUTOSTAT" Azat Timerkhanov is still wary of such statements. “Today, it is not very clear what kind of traditional cars can be revived at the Renault plant, since the Moskvich has long been discontinued. Partially transfer to the plant, which belonged to the French concern, models from the AVTOVAZ site? It is unlikely, because they themselves need to collect something,” commented the representative of the agency “AUTOSTAT”.

Much encouraging, according to Azat Timerkhanov, sounds a statement about the intention to start producing electric vehicles at the Renault plant. “If you develop in this direction, then the logic can be traced. Some Russian companies announced their developments. So far, all statements about the future of the plant are more like intentions. The current situation forces us to go to such intentions. And, despite my doubts, I still treat such forecasts with hope. We need to do something, take some steps, but there are still doubts”, - Azat Timerkhanov summed up.

Previously, several industrial giants announced the development of electric vehicles. Among them are PJSC KAMAZ and Concern VKO Almaz-Antey.

A representative of the domestic auto industry has already presented an electric car developed jointly with Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. And the Russian concern Almaz-Antey at the end of 2021 registered in "Rospatent" an industrial design of an electric vehicle of the "Suv" class.

On Monday, May 16, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation announced that an agreement had been signed on the transfer of Russian assets of the Renault Group to the Russian Federation and the Moscow government. The French concern transfers to the Moscow government 100% of the shares of CJSC Renault Russia. 67.69% of the shares of the auto concern AVTOVAZ become the property of the Russian Federation. The remaining shares of the automaker will be retained by the Rostec State Corporation.

On Monday morning, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin commented on the deal. He said that the production of cars under the Moskvich brand would be resumed at the plant. The revived Moskvich will become electric vehicles in the future, the mayor of Moscow announced. “At the first stage, the production of cars with an internal combustion engine will be organized, and in the future, electric cars,” Sergei Sobyanin specified.

Against this background, it is worth recalling the failed attempt of the billionaire Prokhorov to create a Yo-mobile in Russia. Despite the creation of experimental and exhibition samples, it was not possible to launch the production of electric trains.

As Bloomberg previously reported, Renault sold 482,000 vehicles in Russia in 2021.