Yandex is negotiating with Russian (Avtovaz) and Chinese (BAIC Group, Chery) automakers to supply vehicles to rental companies that Yandex Taxi works with. The company also collaborates with Geely, Chery and Haval.
In a letter to Avtovaz President Maxim Sokolov, Yandex Taxi Business Development Director Ivan Zapolsky said that the taxi fleets in Russia are facing a shortage of cars and spare parts.
Currently, Yandex Taxi and its taxi fleet partners are not short of vehicles, but the company is in talks with Russian and Chinese automakers for maintenance and expansion in the coming years. Forbes writes that every year Yandex Taxi is interested in replenishing the service with tens of thousands of cars.
“Over the past two years, the supply of cars to the Russian market has been constantly complicated: the pandemic has caused disruptions in global logistics, there was a shortage of components, at the beginning of 2022 some brands suspended their work. country. For these reasons it is really difficult to find cars to replenish and update taxi fleets, but there is no shortage of taxi transport: the retirement of the existing fleet in the industry is slow and gradual. It is indeed possible to enter into new partnerships and seek new sources of supply to renew and scale taxi fleets on time. Local automakers remain open to the Russian market, Chinese manufacturers are growing in popularity in Russia, and some brands, for example, from Iran, plan to enter Russia only. Against this background, Yandex may appear to be a strong partner and intermediary for taxi companies, as it can guarantee long-term, stable and predictable demand from manufacturers.
Yandex is already collaborating with Chinese automakers Geely, Chery and Haval. In July 2022, the Yandex Drive fleet was replenished with 200 cars at the end of August – another 400. The end of 2022.