Kaliningrad plant Avtotor announced on February 19 the launch of the A5 electric sedan under the Amberauto badge, produced in collaboration with an international partner. The company also released the first image of the vehicle.
The sedan spans 4675 mm in length, offers a declared 520 km range, and is powered by a 160 horsepower electric motor. It bears a striking resemblance to JMEV GSE in design and packaging.
With Renault genes
The JMEV brand originates from China, created by Jiangling Motors Corporation Group in partnership with the China Agricultural Development Construction Fund Corporation. In 2019 Renault acquired a controlling stake, taking a 50 percent block of shares in JMEV.
Under the names JMEV Yi and Mobilize Limo, the French company markets this sedan in Europe as a professional-use vehicle for taxis and ride-hailing. In 2022, the car earned four out of five stars in EuroNCAP’s crash testing.
Amberauto A5 is slated for deep localization in Kaliningrad. Avtotor has stated that during 2024–2025 the vehicle will feature Russian-made electric motors and inverters, gearboxes, electronic systems, and other components marked made in Russia.
Avtotor also operates under Ambertruck for trucks and pickups. The facility has produced two truck models with a gross weight range from 3.5 to 12 tons and a pickup.
Avtotor has not disclosed the origin of these vehicles, but dealers in the Kaliningrad region reported that the JMC pickups and trucks mentioned for Amberauto production are due to begin this year.
evolve
To manufacture cars from Dongfeng and its associated brands, the Russian company Motorinvest launched its umbrella brand Evolute in 2022. Production began at a Lipetsk region plant under a special investment agreement that grants recycling-fee refunds and other localization incentives in exchange for domestic content goals.
Today Evolute markets the i-Pro sedan and three crossovers in Russia: i-Joy, i-Sky, and i-Space.
The latest Evolute model is the seven-seat i-Space crossover, which is known as the Fengon Landian E5 in China. The car is offered in hybrid and fully electric versions. In Russia, top configurations with seven seats list around 3.9 million rubles after considering subsidies; in China, the T5 family from Forthing began at roughly 130–230 thousand yuan (1.7–2.9 million rubles). The seven-seat i-Space competes in the same space with the Chinese-market version.
The Forthing T5 Evo crossover, a sibling to Evolute i-Sky, has been in production since 2021 and remains a Dongfeng product. In Russia, the i-Sky is exclusively electric and priced near four million rubles after subsidies. This price reflects the local subsidy of about 0.925 million rubles and mirrors the Chinese market where the Forthing Thunder electric car debuted in spring 2023 at 130–230 thousand yuan (1.7–2.9 million rubles).
Sollers
After Ford departed, Sollers began assembling Atlant vans and Argo light trucks in Russia under its own brand, using Chinese JAC technology and retaining rights to modify designs under a licensing agreement.
The Sollers Atlant minibus is a JAC Sunray from an earlier generation, while the current lineup uses redesigned family models produced in China. The Russian assembly has seen improvements in welding and painting, the addition of reinforced springs, and the introduction of more domestic components such as tires and batteries. Early production relied on what is often called screwdriver assembly, where ready-made components are delivered to the site for final assembly.
From 2024 to 2025, Sollers plans to localize body parts by stamping using Russian steel and to begin producing passive safety system components that are critical for the industry. The company notes that Sollers’ Elabuga and Ulyanovsk plants currently produce Atlant and Argo vehicles using full-cycle manufacturing, including welding and painting. The previous generation JAC T6 pickup exited the Russian market after assembly of such vehicles began at the Vladivostok facility. In Russia, it is offered with gasoline and diesel options, with deeper localization planned.
Plans include installing a dedicated engine and gearbox for the pickup at plants in the European part of Russia, with funds from the State Industrial Development Fund supporting localization efforts.
at KamAZ
The JAC N Series lineage is also reflected in KamAZ’s Compass light and medium-duty truck range. The original fairing cabs were welded and painted within a former joint venture with Daimler, where Fuso trucks were assembled. The engines, transmissions, and axles come from China. JAC remains popular among Russian manufacturers, and the Moskvich revival program features vehicles from this brand.
Walday
September 2023 saw the arrival of a new cargo brand, Walday, in the Russian market. Trucks were unveiled at the Comtrans-2023 fair, where it was revealed that Nizhny Novgorod Trucks acquired Walday rights in partnership with Chinese brand Foton. In the initial phase, a screwdriver assembly method supports the light, medium, and heavy-duty truck families.
The first Lada pancake
The Lada X-Cross 5 crossover, which is expected to align with FAW Bestune T77, was showcased at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. Shortly after, the St. Petersburg facility saw a shift in control towards AvtoVAZ. Production of the new model began at the former Nissan plant in St. Petersburg, but free sales did not commence. By December 2023, the Lada site had removed references to this model, and by January 2024, reports indicated the project had ended. Meanwhile, there are plans to produce under the XCite brand at the old Nissan facility, a brand created under state oversight. Some media and automotive channels have suggested that this brand may conceal Chinese Chery Tiggo 7 Pro crossovers. An independent industry consultant noted that building a domestic-brand strategy can be strategically sound for a factory assembling multiple Chinese brands. He argued that even if a supplier changes, a domestic brand with marketing investments can remain and be used with other suppliers at the plant. The consultant also pointed out that Sollers relies on license purchases, which include technical, service, and design documentation, giving their business a competitive edge beyond merely buying toolkits.