In September 2022, Russia’s new car market, including light commercial vehicles and pickups, registered 53,385 units sold. The figure represents a sharp drop from the prior year, reflecting a 55.3 percent decline according to Avtostat Info and ACM Holding.
The same source provides year to date numbers: 527,478 vehicles sold from January through September, which is 57.5 percent below the same period in 2021. This pattern highlights the broad softness across most vehicle segments during the period.
September results and the first three quarters of 2022
- Passenger cars: September 2022 saw 47,410 units sold, down 56.2 percent. January through September 2022 tallied 469,368 units, down 58.7 percent year over year.
- Electric vehicles: September 2022 accounted for 251 units, a 54.9 percent decrease from the prior year. January through September 2022 totaled 1,630 units, up 21.9 percent over the same period in 2021.
- Light commercial vehicles, including trucks in category N1 and buses in category M2: September 2022 reached 5,264 units, down 48.1 percent. January through September 2022 totaled 52,888 units, down 44.3 percent.
- Collections: September 2022 recorded 711 units, down 34.5 percent. January through September 2022 totaled 5,222 units, down 29.7 percent.
It should be noted that the reported figures exclude sales to law enforcement and diplomatic missions within the Russian Federation. This caveat is important for readers evaluating the total market size.
The electric vehicle segment stands out as the only one showing steady growth in relative terms. Yet the volumes remain too small to draw conclusions about a durable uptrend. Most market observers expect overall auto sector demand to fall roughly 55 percent for the full year, underscoring a challenging period for manufacturers and dealers alike.
- Even as a later week approached the mobilization period, there was a notable uptick in passenger car sales, rising about 12 percent compared with the preceding week.
- For additional context and viewer insights, the program Behind the Wheel is available on RuTube.