The "Moskvich" plant is preparing for a transformation: new models will soon be assembled there. We are talking about the "Atom" electric vehicle and SAIC crossovers. Partnership with the Chinese brand JAC is in question. We tell you more about what happened.
Cars of the MG brand (owned by SAIC)
According to insiders, the capital's enterprise will soon switch to assembling MG brand crossovers. Russians know them from MG Rover cars. The car brand, glorified in the 2000s, now belongs to the Chinese company SAIC.
As it became known, approval of the vehicle has already been received for two models that will be produced under the names "Moskvich M70" and "Moskvich M90."
The first model is identical to the MG HS crossover. Its dimensions are 4655 mm in length, 1890 mm in width and 1890 mm in height, and the wheelbase is 2765 mm. This is comparable in size to the Geely Atlas and Haval F7 models, the latter of which is assembled in Russia.
Probably "Moskvich M70" will be available in two versions:
- with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with 173 hp and a seven-speed robot;
- with a 2.0-liter engine with 231 hp and a nine-speed automatic.
Both versions will be equipped with front-wheel drive.
The crossover "Moskvich M90" will have a wheelbase of 2915 mm, and its length will be 4983 mm, which is six centimeters more than the "Moskvich 8", the flagship car of the Russian plant.
In China, the "Moskvich M90" is sold under the name Roewe RX9. The car is equipped with a 2-liter engine with a volume of 242 horsepower. In Russia, the crossover will probably have an engine of 208 horsepower and a nine-speed ZF automatic. The drive can be front or all-wheel drive.
Problems with JAC
At the moment, the Moskvich plant is cooperating with the Chinese manufacturer JAC and produces its rebranded cars. However, the hope for successful cooperation was not justified. An example is the Moskvich 5, which was presented in 2023, but it was not launched for sale, and in 2025 it was decided to abandon this model, releasing only a small number of cars for internal use.
"Moskvich 8" reached dealers with a delay. Its production was postponed for several months. There are also problems with the implementation of the Moskvich 6 liftback. Car sales amount to only three thousand units. On the roads of Moscow and the Moscow region, such a liftback is still a rarity. The same cannot be said about the Moskvich 3. There are many more of these cars, and they are actively purchased not only by "individuals", but also by government agencies.
Assembly of "Atom" electric vehicles
The Atom electric vehicle will be mass-produced at the Moskvich plant from the end of 2025. Two versions are provided: a standard four-seater version and a taxi model with three seats, without a front passenger seat.
"Atom" is a four-meter electric car with rear-wheel drive and one electric motor with a capacity of 204 horsepower. It is equipped with a 77 kWh battery, which provides a range of up to 500 kilometers. The car will feature original technical solutions, such as a steering wheel with a built-in screen and swing doors without a central pillar. The model will not belong to the budget segment: its cost will be from 3 million to 4 million rubles.
It is difficult to expect that "Atom" will become a bestseller of the "Moskvich" plant, since no more than 6,000 cars are planned to be produced in 2026.
For comparison, in 2024, 7,600 Zeekr electric vehicles and 1,300 Moskvich 3e cars were sold in Russia. "Atom" will largely replace "Moskvich 3e", which did not find its buyer.