MOSCOW — Sales of Zeekr electric vehicles have shot up in Russia in the last year, putting Chinese carmakers ahead of local competition in Russia's small but rapidly expanding electric vehicle sector.
From May 2023 to April 2024, more than 20,500 new EVs were sold in Russia, a jump of about 350% on the previous year, with Chinese brands accounting for over half of sales, according to data from the Russian analytical agency Autostat. Russians are becoming more interested in EVs as more charging stations are built, consumers understand the savings on fuel, and dealers improve maintenance, Frank said."My opinion is that we will reach more than 25% by 2035."
In a statement, it said it had not entered the Russian market and had no approved sales network there."Zeekr has not deployed any infrastructure such as charging stations, or conducted any other related business in Russia, hence we are unable to provide basic maintenance service, warranty or remote support in Russia for vehicles sold through unapproved channels."
Maxim Sokolov, head of Avtovaz, in March urged the state to protect the domestic market from all Chinese carmakers, whether electric or fossil fuel-powered.