The governor of the Kaluga region, Vladislav Shapsha, announced that the factories previously managed by Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroen, and Volvo will be restarted. According to him, a development direction has been defined for all enterprises.
The former Volvo production capacities will be used to stamp and paint parts, and assemble nodes, added the head of the region. Negotiations about the Volkswagen plant have not yet been completed, authorities are choosing a reliable technology partner. However, like the Peugeot factory, the first car kits will arrive in early December 2023, he clarified. Shapsha emphasized that the PSM Rus plant is now working on technologies that are focused on localization.
Amid sanctions against Russia in 2022, major foreign auto brands left the Russian market. The Kaluga region authorities announced in August of the same year that 19 enterprises where cars and components were produced are idle.
It was previously known that the Volkswagen plant is planning to produce cars of the Chinese brand Chery. The first batch will consist of 120 units.