What cars cannot be transported to Russia from the New Year? The recycling collection for electric cars and hybrids in the Russian Federation will increase twentyfold from 2025 17:31.

INSIDE resolution The Russian government is phasing out growing The fee for recycling vehicles is subject to a multiple increase for electric vehicles and sequential hybrids. According to the document, the recycling rate for cars in this category, multiplied by the base rate of 20 thousand rubles, will increase from the current 1.63 to 33.4.

Like this, the rate will increase by 20.5 timesand this will happen from the beginning of 2025, which is almost three months away.

In monetary terms, this means that for a new or relatively new (up to three years old) hybrid and electric car you will have to pay 667 thousand rubles of recycling tax instead of the current 33 thousand rubles.

And for used electric vehicles the rate becomes completely prohibitive: it will rise from 122 thousand rubles up to 1.2 million rubles.

For individuals importing cars for personal use (such cars cannot be resold within one year after registration) For now, preferential scrap rates remain the same: 0.17 for new cars, 0.26 for used cars.

Market participants involved in the supply of cars from abroad warn that the amount of new “scrap” will be included in the price of the car for the end consumer and this will become an obstacle for cheap electric cars.

According to Dmitry Rogov, founder of RogovMobil, buyers of expensive electric vehicles (Li Xiang, Zeekr, Tesla) will have to agree to pay an order of magnitude higher, but based on the price of the car, the amount of 667 thousand rubles does not seem prohibitive.

“Electric cars and hybrids of the same type are not bought by poor people. These cars are not the first in the family, but are considered an addition to cars with internal combustion engines, and the most affordable ones cost 4.5-5 million rubles. Li Xiang and Tesla cars cost 7-8 million rubles. Plus 600 thousand rubles is unpleasant, but it will not fundamentally affect demand,” Rogov told socialbites.ca.

Considering that before the changes the recycling fee for even a commercial import of a car like Li Xiang was only 32 thousand rubles, it was profitable to import and resell them. Rogov explained that dealers fell in love with this car and Li Xiang has spread widely on the market.

“If we had cheap electric cars in the BYD Dolphin format in China, which cost about 1 million rubles in our money, then with the new recycling fee of 667 thousand rubles, importing them would become unprofitable,” Rogov concluded.

Which cars will be difficult to buy?

According to Elena Lisovskaya, author of the YouTube channel “The Fox Rules”, which delivers cars from abroad, multiple increases in the recycling fee for electric vehicles from 2025 will affect suppliers and buyers of cheap electric vehicles in the Nissan Leaf format.

“The recycling fee for electric cars will increase from January 1st and their prices will increase at the same rate.

“When it comes to expensive hybrids and electric cars, the price increase will not be significant. The cheaper segments will, of course, decrease significantly. First of all, this applies to the Nissan Leaf,” Lisovskaya told socialbites.ca.

He noted that this will affect low-income people, as the Nissan Leaf is mostly purchased by those who have the opportunity to charge the car at home and therefore save on fuel.

“Some taxi drivers bought Nissan Leafs, charged them at home and distributed the charge during the shift. They will not be able to buy these cars anymore. Volkswagen IDs were also cheap and they will not be in good shape either,” Lisovskaya concluded.

The greatest demand for electric vehicles in Russia is seen in the premium segment. The founder of the Automarketer project, Oleg Moseev, told socialbites.ca that it falls mainly on Li Xiang and Zeekr – in the case of the former, this is explained by the presence of hybrid versions.

“Voyah vehicles are officially sold in the premium segment in the country and it is not known whether Motorinvest will receive this award. (official importer of the brand) “These cars have a kind of recycling tax advantage. Hongqi, which is supposed to offset the increased recycling fee from its revenue or include it entirely in the price, has also been officially introduced,” he added.

The Automarketer founder also said the increase in recycling collection would not change the premium segment of the electric vehicle market but would be a serious price hit for low-cost cars.

“Electric Volkswagens and BMWs are also being brought to Russia in large quantities. It is possible that the new price of the electric Volkswagen will cool the buyer’s enthusiasm, but in the case of BMW this is unlikely,” Moseev concluded.

According to the analytical agency Autostat, by the first half of 2024 there will be 90 thousand electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in Russia. About 19% of this amount belongs to the Chinese Li Xiang; more than 17% of the hybrid and electric vehicle fleet is occupied by Nissan, almost 11% by Voyah, 9% and 7% by Zeekr and Tesla, respectively.