In recent days, long queues have formed at gas stations in most parts of Russia. The supply of gasoline and diesel has continued to be tight, and most regions have implemented fuel restrictions.According to reports, retail gasoline prices in some areas of Russia have climbed to among the highest levels in Europe. In fact, fuel rationing had spread to core cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg months ago.
Fuel shortage is unexpectedly boosting the Russian new energy vehicle market, with Chinese brands becoming the biggest beneficiaries.
Zabelin, founder of EN Cars, a company that specializes in selling Chinese brand cars, revealed to the media,Since the fuel situation became complicated, market demand has grown exponentially, and consumer interest is rising whether it is economical or high-end models.
According to a Moscow dealer, sales of electric vehicles in China have jumped from a few units per month to several units per day.
Data from the analysis agency Autostat and the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade show that,In the first five months of this year, approximately 24,600 new plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold in Russia, a year-on-year increase of 125%; new pure electric vehicle sales increased by 19% to 4,460 vehicles.
The growth rate of plug-in hybrids far exceeds that of pure electric vehicles, reflecting that under the condition that charging infrastructure is not yet complete, consumers prefer a compromise solution that can use both oil and electricity.
Udalov, head of Autostat, said that sales accelerated further after fuel shortages intensified in June. 1,754 plug-in hybrid vehicles were newly registered last week, an increase of nearly one-third from the previous week and nearly 50% higher than this year's weekly average.
However, Udalov also pointed out that the current absolute sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are still low, and manufacturers and importers are not prepared for this gasoline crisis and have insufficient inventories.
For reference, new energy vehicles accounted for only 4.3% of total car sales in Russia last year. The vast territory, cold climate, and limited charging network have long-term constraints on market development. But he believes that if the crisis persists, sales will increase significantly in the near future.
