The rise in the recycling fee did not significantly shift the overall budget allocated to the automotive sector in 2024. The notable exception was the preferential car loan program, whose funding nearly doubled, a shift highlighted by Kommersant.
With higher recycling collection rates in 2024, budget projections show that revenues tied to mechanical engineering and the automotive industry will climb by 306.8 billion rubles, approaching a trillion rubles in aggregate. The recycling fee’s indexation creates additional resources to support mechanical engineering, yet the upcoming year’s budget presents the main changes in the preferential car loan program, with 12.3 billion rubles assigned versus 5 billion rubles in the current year. Historical context shows the program’s funding at 10.2 billion rubles in 2022 and around 13 billion rubles in 2021.
Draft budget figures also indicate 2 billion rubles earmarked for subsidies supporting rental programs for special equipment and vehicles, compared with 1.3 billion and 2 billion rubles in the current year, respectively. Earlier projections noted an increase in financing for car rentals to 7.8 billion rubles. The gas engine technology program for the coming year is set at 2.95 billion rubles, down from recent years when it hovered around 3.3 billion rubles. Meanwhile, subsidies for purchasing agricultural machinery under the same program remain capped at 2 billion rubles, a decline from 2022 when funding reached 8 billion rubles.
Data from VTB Bank covering January through August shows that more than half of all new car purchases in Russia relied on auto loans. Analysts predict that the auto loan segment could deliver record sales performance, potentially reaching around 1.5 trillion rubles in total vehicle sales.
Previously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed increasing the discount on electric car purchases, signaling continued policy support for electrification despite shifting budget priorities. The evolving mix of subsidies and loan programs reflects a broader strategy to sustain manufacturing activity, encourage consumer financing, and promote technological transition across the automotive sector. The outlook suggests a careful balance between direct subsidies, loan incentives, and targeted program funding to drive long‑term growth while managing fiscal pressures.