From benefits to localization: what support measures are needed for electric vehicles in the Russian Federation

HSE University experts named the key factors hindering the growth of the electric vehicle market in Russia

The Russian electric vehicle market is demonstrating steady growth: over the past nine years, the number of registered electric vehicles has increased by 225%, reaching 59.6 thousand units by the end of 2024. However, as HSE University experts note in the study "Socio-economic justification for the introduction of electric vehicles in commercial transportation", one of the key constraints remains the shortage of charging infrastructure.

Despite the fact that Moscow ranks first in terms of the number of charging stations, Nizhny Novgorod turned out to be more efficient in terms of their availability: there are 11.23 electric vehicles per station there, while in the capital - 14.41. According to forecasts, by 2030 there will be 12 thousand charging devices in Moscow, but with an expected fleet of 300 thousand electric vehicles, the load on the infrastructure will remain high.

Among other barriers to market development are the limited battery range, their accelerated degradation, high initial costs and rising operating costs. In 2024, sales growth was mainly driven by Chinese brands and the Moskvich plant, but imports of new and used electric vehicles decreased by 34% and 22%, respectively. Experts emphasize that without support measures, the market growth rate may slow down. According to experts, the cost of using an electric vehicle may be less than that of a conventional car. However, in practice, much depends on the operating conditions, the rate of battery wear, the availability/parameters of state support. For commercial organizations, the costs of introducing electric vehicles are still high.

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