The facility in St. Petersburg underwent several name changes, eventually becoming known as Lada St. Petersburg and later Avtozavod St. Petersburg LLC. Reports from dp.ru indicate that the former Nissan automobile plant in St. Petersburg closed in 2023 with a net loss of 13.7 billion rubles. In the prior year, the loss had stood at 6 billion rubles, highlighting a steep decline in the plant’s financial performance.
Financial statements published by the enterprise show that revenue in 2023 plummeted by nearly 90 percent, falling to 3.7 billion rubles. This dramatic drop reflects a broader downturn in manufacturing activity at the site and underscores the challenges faced during the year, including shifts in ownership and production strategy that shaped the plant’s operations and output.
Historically, the Nissan factory in St. Petersburg began production in June 2009, contributing to the region’s automotive landscape by producing several popular models, including the X-Trail, Murano, Qashqai, and Terrano crossovers. At its peak, the facility boasted a production capacity of around 100 thousand vehicles per year, a figure that signified a substantial manufacturing footprint in Russia. In the latter part of 2022, the asset was sold by a foreign company, marking a pivotal transition in the site’s ownership and strategic direction.
In January 2024, the site started producing the first batch of vehicles under a new brand, Xcite. The debut model, the Xcite X-Cross 7, was unveiled in March, signaling a shift toward a new branding and product line intended to reshape the plant’s identity and market proposition. The vehicle’s specifications include an engine power of 147 horsepower, a length of 4.5 meters, a width of 1.842 meters, and a height of 1.705 meters, reflecting a compact crossover platform tailored for efficiency and urban usability while meeting contemporary standards for size and performance.
Industry chatter has also touched on potential partnerships for the Moskvich auto plant, with suggestions that a second Chinese partner, in addition to JAC, may be pursued to bolster production capacity and modernize facilities. This possibility points to a broader strategy of aligning with multiple international manufacturers to diversify supply chains and accelerate development within the regional automotive sector.
Earlier developments saw Nissan seeking to re-enter Russia through collaborations with Chinese manufacturers, a move that aligned with a wider trend of cross-border manufacturing partnerships. The evolving narrative around the St. Petersburg site thus reflects a transition from direct foreign ownership toward a model that leverages local operations, rebranding, and strategic partnerships to sustain manufacturing activity and preserve regional employment in the automotive industry.