Moscow is moving ahead with a bold plan to revive the Moskvich name by launching a dedicated automotive facility in December, a move officials say could position the city as a growing hub for electric vehicle manufacturing in the years ahead. This ambitious initiative was highlighted by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin during a session at the international export forum Made in Russia 2022, where the capital showcased its renewed focus on industrial capabilities and export-ready products.
Before the plenary session commenced, Mikhail Mishustin, who leads the city and sits as prime minister of the Russian Federation, visited the exhibition area of the forum. One of the central attractions was the Made in Moscow booth, a symbol of the city’s drive to consolidate manufacturing strength and attract new investment. The visit underscored Moscow’s intent to integrate Moscow’s industrial heritage with modern, high-tech manufacturing ambitions.
Speaking with Mishustin, Sobyanin acknowledged that the motor transport sector faced significant challenges this year. Yet he remained optimistic about December’s launch of the Moskvich plant, noting that support from the Ministry of Industry would be crucial to this timeline. The mayor emphasized that the project aims not merely to restart production but to establish Moskvich as a nucleus for electric vehicle development, leveraging existing competencies and capabilities within the city’s industrial ecosystem.
About the Moskvich plant
The Moscow government took over the former plant after Renault announced in the spring that it would exit the Russian market and close the Moscow car factory it had owned since 1998. The facility was subsequently renamed the Moscow Automobile Plant Moskvich, signaling a new phase in the city’s automotive strategy. The short-term plan envisions a staged approach to production that begins with SKD assembly for two car types: one powered by internal combustion engines and another fully electric. In both cases, critical components will be sourced from a network of collaborating manufacturers across friendly countries, reinforcing regional supply chains and minimizing disruption while ramping up local manufacturing capabilities.
The Moskvich project reflects a broader effort to blend traditional automotive know-how with modern electric propulsion technologies. By fostering collaboration among domestic suppliers and international partners, Moscow aims to accelerate the transfer of knowledge, create skilled jobs, and establish a recognizable brand presence in the evolving EV market. The plant’s development is framed as a long-term investment in regional autonomy and industrial resilience, with the potential to catalyze related activities across the city’s manufacturing clusters.
In recent years, Moscow has been actively repositioning its industrial base to align with global demand for cleaner mobility solutions. The Moskvich undertaking aligns with policy goals to diversify the economy, prioritize energy-efficient transportation, and strengthen export-oriented production. Officials say the project will not only revive a historic marque but also demonstrate how local governance can partner with industry to retool legacy facilities for modern, sustainable manufacturing. The forum experience underscored a commitment to practical steps, including workforce upskilling, supplier onboarding, and establishing quality benchmarks that meet international standards.
While the immediate focus is on product reintroduction, the long-term vision includes expanding the range of models produced, exploring battery supply arrangements, and integrating digital technologies for design, production planning, and after-sales support. The Moskvich plant is positioned as a strategic asset in Moscow’s industrial landscape, with potential spillovers into related sectors such as logistics, testing and certification, and regional research collaborations. The initiative illustrates how a city can reimagine a decades-old brand within a modern, high-tech framework, aiming to deliver reliable, locally manufactured vehicles to both domestic and international markets.
As the project progresses, observers will watch closely for milestones in production capacity, model diversification, and the establishment of a robust ecosystem that supports sustained innovation. The Moskvich plant stands as a clear signal of Moscow’s intent: to blend historical automotive heritage with future-focused mobility solutions, attracting investment and providing a blueprint for similar redevelopment efforts in the broader region. The forum’s discussions and the government’s ongoing engagement with industrial partners suggest a concerted effort to translate policy into practical outcomes that benefit workers, suppliers, and consumers alike. This convergence of public leadership and private expertise could shape the next chapter of Russia’s automotive industry, with Moscow at the center of the narrative.