Electric Moskvich Project Under Kama JSC Platform
The Moskvich electric car is being developed on a platform created by Kama JSC, with production expected to begin in 2024, according to Vedomosti, which cites insiders connected to the project. The move signals a revival of the Moskvich name on Russia’s automotive scene and a renewed push into electric mobility on a national scale.
Originally presented in 2020 as the Kama-1 concept, the electric vehicle has evolved into a broader collaboration. Kama JSC is operated under the umbrella of KAMAZ, Russia’s leading commercial vehicle maker, and the project brings together notable investors, including Sergey Kogogin, the general manager of the Kama Automobile Plant, and Ruben Vardanyan, a financier with substantial influence in the industry. This blend of manufacturing expertise and financial backing aims to position Moskvich as a recognizable and competitive emblem in the evolving landscape of electric transport.
The revived Moskvich factory sits on the former Renault Russia site and envisions a full production cycle for electric vehicles, incorporating welding and painting directly on site. While the plan is ambitious, a final decision on the project’s scope and scale has not yet been published, leaving room for adjustments as engineering and market analyses continue.
On July 6, Moscow’s city government, which owns the Moskvich plant, announced a partnership with KAMAZ to advance passenger car development and to expand the manufacture of household electric vehicles. In this agreement, KAMAZ is described as the technological partner for the project. The event highlighted that, for the first time, models borrowed from partners would be assembled under the Moskvich brand, signaling a strategic shift toward a broader production footprint under the historic name.
Plans to determine the exact lineup and the identity of the first manufacturers to supply vehicles for Moscow in 2022 remain unclear. Rumors have circulated about possible models from Chinese and Iranian manufacturers, but official confirmations have yet to be issued. The project timeline, as reported, includes a target of assembling 600 new cars at the revived Moskvich site by the end of 2022, with a split between internal combustion engine vehicles (400 units) and electric vehicles (200 units). Looking further ahead, the company projected production growth to at least 50,000 cars in 2023 and 100,000 in 2024, with electric vehicles accounting for 10,000 to 20,000 units, respectively, as part of the overall volume. These figures illustrate the ambition to scale domestically and contribute to Russia’s broader electrification efforts.
Additional updates in mid-July indicated that Kama was developing a five-door, front-wheel-drive electric car with a length of about 3.75 meters. This concept reportedly would not be tied to the Kama-1 layout demonstrated at the end of 2020, suggesting an evolving design strategy that accommodates different market needs and technological directions as the program matures.
- Driving can be read in viber