Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Starting from November 1, Russians may be left without a number of popular car models due to a sharp increase in the recycling fee. The imports of Toyota Camry and Land Cruiser, as well as Chinese electric vehicle brands such as LiXiang and Zeekr, are now under threat, Azernews reports.

Several major Chinese automakers are reportedly considering suspending sales and scaling back their operations in Russia, as the new tariffs make market presence less economically viable. This move could mark a serious shift in the structure of Russia’s auto market, especially given how reliant it has become on Chinese brands after the exit of many Western manufacturers.

Experts warn that the tariff hike could lead to a significant increase in car prices and a noticeable reduction in model variety available to Russian consumers. Electric vehicles and premium models may be hit the hardest, as they often carry higher recycling fees.

This situation may also spark a renewed interest in used cars, parallel imports, and locally assembled vehicles. Some analysts even suggest this could create new opportunities for domestic production or for brands that already have assembly facilities in Russia.