Rosatom is moving forward with a strategic agreement with Norilsk Nickel to establish the production of cathode materials used in electric vehicle batteries within upcoming gigafactories. This development was shared during SPIEF-2024 by Natalya Nikipelova, who leads TVEL JSC as part of Rosatom, underscoring a broader push to secure domestic supply chains for advanced energy storage components. The partnership signals a concerted effort to anchor key battery materials within Russia, reducing dependence on foreign imports and accelerating the nation’s electric mobility ambitions through vertically integrated production facilities.
Current plans indicate that Rosatom is in the process of constructing two gigafactories, one in Kaliningrad and another in the New Moscow area. Nikipelova urged market participants and authorities to prioritize the creation of domestic platforms for both electric cars and their batteries, highlighting the importance of a synchronized ecosystem that spans raw materials, battery components, vehicle manufacturing, and end-of-life recycling. The aim is to foster a resilient domestic supply chain that can support scaling production while meeting stringent quality and environmental standards.
Earlier, Andrei Kutepov, who chairs the economic committee of the Federation Council, floated a proposal to develop a domestic mass car platform dedicated to sedans and crossovers. The concept envisions a shared architectural framework capable of underpinning a wide range of models, enabling cost efficiencies, streamlined production, and consistent safety and performance benchmarks across the lineup. The discussion reflects a broader recognition that a unified platform can unlock economies of scale and spur rapid advancement in vehicle technology, materials science, and manufacturing processes within the country.
He stated that advancing the Russian automobile industry would require a rigorous assessment of targeted support measures to establish a Russian mass automobile platform for the production of C, D and E class sedans and sport utility vehicles, noting that such an undertaking demands substantial investment. The proposed platform would serve as a backbone for multiple brands and models, allowing manufacturers to share components, tooling, and digital architectures, while preserving distinct design identities and market positioning. The financial implications are substantial, with estimates for the development and deployment of a comprehensive platform ranging across tens of billions to well over one hundred billion rubles, depending on the scope, integration of advanced propulsion systems, and the level of localization achieved in production lines.
Kutepov pointed to the scale of investment as a critical factor in realizing a national platform capable of competing with established international architectures. The discussion also raised questions about procurement strategies, supplier capabilities, and the need for regulatory support to foster long-term capital planning, supplier domestication, and a robust aftersales ecosystem. As the conversation unfolds, policymakers and industry leaders are watching closely to determine how far the state can or should go in backing ambitious, large-scale manufacturing initiatives while balancing competitive market dynamics, consumer affordability, and environmental considerations.
In related developments, there has been ongoing dialogue about enhancing vehicle recycling collection, with industry authorities emphasizing the importance of a circular economy framework for end-of-life vehicles. This includes expanding recycling pathways, improving material recovery rates, and ensuring compliance with environmental standards as the volume of vehicle production and retirement increases. The overarching objective is to align industrial growth with sustainable practices, creating a closed-loop system where materials re-enter the supply chain, supporting both economic and ecological objectives for the automotive sector.