St. Petersburg is preparing for a new stage in the development of its automotive industry. By 2028, city plants plan to produce almost twice as many models as they do now. Some future projects are still being kept secret. This was announced by Alexander Sitov, Chairman of the City Committee for Industrial Policy, Innovation, and Trade.
In 2027, car production in St. Petersburg is expected to grow significantly. In addition, a research and development center will begin construction in the Special Economic Zone. Sitov believes that the automotive industry is once again becoming a significant part of St. Petersburg's economy, and the current SPIEF has effectively marked the final relaunch of the city's car plants.
Production of executive-class cars under the new Senat brand has already started at the former Toyota plant. At "Avtozavod AGR," which previously belonged to Hyundai, cars under the Solaris brand have been produced since 2024. In May 2026, full-cycle production of the first car of the new Russian premium brand Esteo began at the AGR holding's enterprise in Shushary.
Another project is the Jeland J6 crossover. The AGR holding first showcased it at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. They plan to establish production of the model at the former General Motors plant in Shushary. Production and sales are scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2026.
At "Avtozavod Saint-Petersburg," which was previously a Nissan site, production of Lada Iskra began in 2025. At the same time, as Sitov emphasized, not all future models have been announced yet. Therefore, by 2028, the range of cars assembled in St. Petersburg could almost double.
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