Both applications received by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the conclusion of special investment contracts (SPIC 2.0) for the development and introduction into production of electric vehicles in Russia from Motorinvest and Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Rus were recognized as winners of the competitive selection. This is stated in a statement released by the ministry on February 21 following the meeting of the interdepartmental commission on the SPIC.
Deputy Minister Alexander Morozov noted that the conclusion of investment contracts for the introduction of electric vehicle technology will make it possible to localize a number of important innovative technologies in Russia, primarily traction batteries and electric motors. New jobs and tax revenues are also behind the SPIC, which is important for the development of the regions where production will be located, he stressed.
A SPIC is a framework instrument that guarantees the company that the conditions for doing business in Russia will not worsen for the duration of the contract and tax benefits in exchange for obligations to localize production. It is also the main criterion for confirming that the products are made in Russia. The presence of a SPIC is necessary for investors to participate in government programs to support demand. In September 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Trade published projects for expanding the programs of preferential car loans and preferential leasing for Russian electric vehicles, the discount on them will be 25% (but not more than 625,000 rubles). But so far, none of the projects of passenger cars on electric traction in Russia has reached the production of marketable products.
The collection of bids for SPIC 2.0 on electric vehicles ended on January 17, 2022. Two bids were submitted – from Lipetsk Motorinvest and from the company Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Rus from St. Petersburg. The competition was initiated by a Lipetsk company. Initially, the Chinese Haval was also going to submit an application for a SPIC on electric cars, but in the end, the company from China did not come to the tender and now will not be able to do so. A representative of Haval confirmed to Vedomosti that the company is not participating in the current competition.
Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov expects that the first mass-produced electric car will appear in Russia before the end of this year (his words are reported by the press service). In accordance with the target indicators of the concept for the development of electric vehicles, approved in August 2021, the total volume of production of electric vehicles in Russia by 2030 will exceed 730 thousand units, he added.
Lipetsk Motorinvest, according to SPARK-Interfax, belongs to Fedor Kunakov (99.9%) and Andrey Reznikov (0.1%). The businessmen’s shares are pledged to Centrocredit Bank. The company was registered in April 2011, at the end of 2020, the revenue amounted to 8 million rubles, the loss was 235.6 million rubles.
Electric Vehicles Manufacturing Rus is a startup founded by Ilya Rashkin (45%) and Igor Girdin (55%). The company was registered on June 10, 2021 in St. Petersburg on the territory of the Polytechnic University, follows from the SPARK-Interfax data. The TGE Systems and Solutions engineering company, which is engaged in the introduction of new technologies in electric transport, energy and microelectronics, is registered at the same address. The founder of this company is Rashkin, he remains its CEO. In “Electric vehicles” Rashkin is responsible for the technological development of the product and the creation of an electric motor, follows from the company’s message. Girdin’s area of responsibility is finance and attraction of investments.
“We are glad that there were two winners of the competition. The question is who will be able to implement what has been started and not only demonstrate an electric car, but also organize mass production,” Girdin told Vedomosti. According to him, the company maintains plans to reach the volume of 1,000 electric vehicles per year, the production plant will be located in the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone on an area of about 3,000 square meters. m. The first car will leave the assembly line in early September, the first 400 units have already been sold – a contract is being signed, Girdin added.
Earlier, Girdin told Vedomosti that the company plans to produce an electric manufactured goods van on the chassis of the UAZ Profi with a payload capacity of up to 3.5 tons. It is assumed that Sollers (the group includes UAZ. – Vedomosti) will supply chassis that Electric vehicles will be equipped with engines and power electronics of their own design. The range of the van on one charge should be 200-300 km. In case of winning the competition, it was supposed to start producing electric vans in September 2022 at a site in Moscow. The unit cost will be about 3.5 million rubles. adjusted for inflation. According to the company, the first stage of development requires 1 billion rubles. own and borrowed funds.
The bids of both companies were approved because there were simply no others, Sergey Burgazliev, an independent auto industry consultant, told Vedomosti. “If these two applicants are successful, perhaps more serious manufacturers will also try to apply for similar SPICs or to amend existing contracts,” the expert admits.