KamAZ, Gazprom, and NAMI have joined forces to launch the assembly of Chinese cars at the former Toyota plant near St. Petersburg. As part of a partnership with the Chinese automaker FAW, the owner of the Hongqi brand, plans are in place to establish the production of these cars under the Russian brand Aurus. Assembly will be organized at the site of the former Toyota plant, now called Shushary-Auto LLC.
However, the Chinese side is currently cautious due to the risk of sanctions pressure. According to a source, the situation remains unstable, and the project could be abandoned. Previously, this plant was intended to produce Russian e-Neva electric vehicles, but the project was frozen due to a lack of funding and changes in the company's priorities.
In 2025, Ivan Savelyev, the executive director of Hongqi in Russia, spoke about the need to localize production to maintain competitiveness in the face of rising recycling fees and duties. KamAZ is acting as the technological partner of the project, while Gazprom and FSUE NAMI provide institutional support.
For now, the project is in the preliminary agreement and preparation stage, and much depends on how the Chinese side assesses the risks and opportunities of production under the Russian brand Aurus.
Read more on the topic:
Drivers of the Special Purpose Garage Competed in Driving Aurus, Tank, and Hongqi
Instead of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Premium Hongqi to Receive a Special Engine for Russia
Bulletproof Armored Car of Friendship: Chinese Hongqi H9 Receives Russian Hidden Armor