Russian carmakers Sollers and AvtoVAZ have approached the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade with a request to help mitigate a sweeping rise in logistics costs that affects delivering finished vehicles from factories to dealerships. This update comes from RBC, which cited a confidential source inside one of the manufacturing groups. The situation has become a critical concern for the market’s distribution chain, with disruptions stretching back to the start of 2023 and continuing to reverberate through the sector today. [citation to RBC internal source]
The insider explained that what began as a bottleneck in the supply of car transporters has evolved into a broader import challenge. Parallel imports of transport equipment, combined with a persistent shortage of qualified drivers, have compounded the problem. These factors have driven a steep uptick in the cost of moving vehicles between plants and points of sale. In the words of the RBC interlocutor, the market now faces a structural constraint in logistics capacity that pressures margins and pricing models across the board. [citation to RBC internal source]
As tariffs for this category of transport services have surged, representatives from AvtoVAZ and Sollers confirmed to RBC that the issue has intensified in the second half of 2023 and has continued to influence pricing dynamics. Sollers noted that the strain in logistics began to worsen midway through last year, prompting the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ) to implement a special premium on vehicle prices as a response to the higher transportation costs. The move underscores how manufacturers are attempting to preserve supply stability while absorbing or passing along added logistics expenses. [citation to RBC internal source]
AvtoVAZ likewise highlighted a significant rise in transport services pricing, telling RBC that various strategies are currently being evaluated to offset these costs. The company indicated it is weighing options that could mitigate the impact on consumer prices or dealer margins while maintaining an uninterrupted supply chain. The broader takeaway is that logistics and transport economics have shifted decisively, forcing automakers to rethink pricing and distribution strategies in a market already navigating macroeconomic headwinds. [citation to RBC internal source]
Meanwhile, market data show a substantial increase in the price of used cars in Russia. From October 2022 to October 2023, the average price for a previously owned vehicle rose by roughly 24.4 percent, reflecting the broad influence of rising transport and production costs on the whole used-vehicle segment. Analysts note that such price movements are often driven by supply constraints, currency dynamics, and evolving consumer demand in a period of adjustment for the domestic auto industry. [citation to RBC internal source]
Earlier announcements from AvtoVAZ had already set expectations for the start of new model lines, including the Lada Aura, which continues to influence overall production planning and capacity utilization. This background feeds into the current discussion about how logistics costs intersect with product rollout timelines and pricing strategies. In short, the industry is navigating a complex web of transport availability, driver shortages, import constraints, and tariff pressures that collectively shape the cost structure of vehicle delivery in the Russian market. [citation to RBC internal source]