2022-09-19 23:02:51
The Chinese automaker BYD may re-enter the Russian market in 2023, but now exclusively with a line of electric vehicles. The Belarusian company SGP is going to import cars to Russia. This was told to Vedomosti by a source familiar with the proposal of the Belarusian side, and confirmed by SGP CEO Artem Lovchev.
BYD (from the English. Build Your Dreams, “build your dreams”) was founded in 1995 in Shenzhen. In the late 2000s the company entered the Russian market with two models – Flyer and F3, but they were not particularly popular. Later, the concern switched to the creation of hybrid, and then fully electric cars.
SGP (from the English. Seven Green Products, “7 green products”) is engaged in the creation of a transport ecosystem, the introduction and popularization of electric vehicles for passenger transportation in Belarus, follows from the presentation of the company, which Vedomosti has. In particular, SGP offers turnkey delivery of electric cars, financial services, service and maintenance of cars and provision of charging infrastructure in the country’s market. The ecosystem of the company with BYD electric vehicles is operating in the Belarusian market in a test mode, Lovchev confirmed.
According to the source, SGP received permission to sell BYD electric cars throughout the CIS. This is confirmed by the general director of the Belarusian company. Now the Commonwealth includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The quota for Russia and the CIS is up to 150,000 electric cars in 2023, says Lovchev. All of them will be imported from China.
SGP has submitted documents to Rosstandart for a Vehicle Type Approval Certificate (OTTS), the CEO of the company explained. This document confirms the compliance of the characteristics of the car models indicated in it with the safety requirements of the technical regulations of the Customs Union (CU). Thus, obtaining an OTTS in Russia gives the distributor the right to sell the vehicles indicated in it on the territory of the entire CU or the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union), which, in addition to the Russian Federation, includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
The Belarusian company announced three BYD models at OTTS: the Qin Plus sedan (“Qin Plus”), the Dolphin hatchback and the Song Plus crossover (“Sun Plus”). Certifications are expected at the end of 2022. In 2023, SGP plans to apply for OTTS for two more models – the Han premium sedan and the Tang crossover. But in the preliminary price list of the company for models of Chinese electric cars for the Russian market, which Vedomosti got acquainted with, eight models are indicated.
Dolphin and Qin Plus are the most budget models from the entire range. Their prices range from 1.95 million to 2.46 million rubles. for the first and from 2.42 million to 2.96 million rubles. for the second model. The difference in price is due to the capacity of the battery. In the minimum version for BYD Dolphin, it will last for 300 km, in the maximum version for Qin Plus – for 600 km. The most expensive BYD model that may be available to Russians is the Seal sports sedan, positioned by the manufacturer as a competitor to the Tesla Model 3. Such an electric car with a range of 650 km will cost 5 million rubles in Russia.
In Russia, SGP already has more than seven financial partners, says Lovchev. In particular, proposals for cooperation were sent to VTB Leasing, Alfa Leasing and Ctrl Leasing. The Belarusian company also has a memorandum of cooperation with Yandex, the SGP CEO added. The representative of Yandex.Taxi did not answer the questions of Vedomosti.
The SGP declarations regarding BYD raise serious doubts, says a Vedomosti source among the top management of one of the Belarusian auto concerns. “BYD has officially withdrawn from all projects in Belarus. We tried to negotiate with them about production in our country or in Russia, but because of the sanctions associated with the special operation in Ukraine, they refused,” he said. According to the interlocutor, the Chinese company is dynamically developing sales in other markets, therefore, until geopolitical tensions in the region subside, they are unlikely to accept any proposals for cooperation.
The latest BYD models look very good and could appeal to the Russians, says Sergey Burgazliev, an independent auto industry consultant. According to him, in the next year and a half, Russia is unlikely to be able to provide itself with a charging infrastructure for such machines, which means that one cannot count on large sales volumes. Probably, the demand for BYD electric cars can reach 1500-2000 units. in the first year of sales, the expert estimates.
The development of charging infrastructure in Russia will not lag behind the growth rate of the electric vehicle fleet, says Kirill Zhanaidarov, head of the transport department of the Skolkovo Foundation. He recalled that the concept of development of electric transport until 2030, approved by the government in 2021, is being implemented. , the expert notes.
Imported cars do not fall into the demand support programs of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the allowable difference in the cost of an electric car and a car with an internal combustion engine (ICE) of a comparable standard size should not be more than 30%, Burgazliev notes. If a mid-size electric crossover costs 3.1-3.3 million rubles, then this may be of interest to domestic buyers, he admits. Fuel savings for such a vehicle will be up to 30,000 rubles. per month.
Vedomosti sent a request to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Now Chinese cars with internal combustion engines do not fall into state support programs because of the high cost, but at the same time they sell well. For example, in August, for the first time in history, Haval took 3rd place in the overall top sales in Russia (2990 cars) and was the only major brand that increased sales by 26% by August 2021, according to the Association of European Businesses . Not bad ended the month and Geely, which sold 1990 cars (down 8%). For comparison: the decline in sales of large foreign players in August ranged from 44 to 97%.
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