The Moscow government has announced plans to revive the Moskvich automobile plant and restore its long standing role in the city’s industrial landscape. The factory, famous for its Moskvich cars and formerly operating under the Renault brand, faced closure after the foreign owner decided to end operations. This development was publicly communicated by the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, in his official communications. Source: Moscow government statements.
The owner’s decision to close the Renault plant in Moscow was within legal rights, but the city refuses to permit thousands of workers to lose their jobs. In response, the mayor stated that the factory would be transferred to the city’s balance sheet and the Moskvich name would be revived to produce passenger cars again. This is a move aimed at preserving employment and sustaining local manufacturing heritage. Source: Moscow government statements.
The plant sits in Moscow, near the Volgogradsky prospect. The main technical partner for the planned revival is KAMAZ. The joint objective of the Moscow government and KAMAZ is to bring back the Moskvich brand and to restart modern Russian passenger car production, with the potential to expand into electric vehicles built on the existing facility. Source: Moscow government statements.
Muscovites are familiar with the factory’s long history. It was established in 1929-1930, began by assembling Ford cars, and subsequently produced a variety of models over the decades. The storied Moskvich line became a hallmark of the site. The plant had a long collaboration with Renault since 1998, with models such as the Renault Logan, Duster, and Sandero rolling off the line for many years. Source: historical records and official statements.
Now, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Moscow government is working to ensure that most components and parts are produced domestically. Efforts are underway to solve supply chain gaps for essential components within Russia. The city will allocate investments alongside KAMAZ to modernize production and secure the necessary supply chain. The overarching goal is to resume high-quality, domestically produced cars under the Moskvich name. Source: Moscow government statements.
Transportation experts have supported the plan to transfer ownership of the plant to city control as a means of reviving the Moskvich brand. This approach keeps the factory within a robust production cluster and avoids handing it over to developers. The transfer will preserve a significant automotive production hub in the capital and enable future technological investments. Source: Norayr Bludyan, Executive Director of TAMA and Head of MADI’s Automotive Transportation Department.
Alexander Shumsky, head of the Probok.net project, described the move as a landmark for the city. He noted that the Moskvich name is a vital piece of the city’s heritage and that reviving the brand would demonstrate a commitment to preserving a national automotive legacy while supporting the broader domestic industry. Source: Probok.net remarks.
- Recall that Renault Russia recently produced crossovers Renault Kaptur, Arkana and Duster, but their production was halted at the end of April. Source: industry reports.
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