The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has formed its first concept for the development of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country with a total value of RUB 418 billion ($5.7 billion) through 2030, it confirmed to Kallanish. 

Until 2024, it plans to spend RUB 31.3 billion on the development of electric transport. The program will be implemented by a national consortium headed by Russian truckmaker Kamaz. In December 2020, Kamaz presented an experimental model of the Kama-1 - Russia’s first EV, with mass production scheduled by 2024.

Currently, the market for electric vehicles in Russia is very small. EV sales amounted to 0.1% of the total in 2020. Already by 2022, however, the share of EVs purchased in the country will amount to 1.7% of the market - or a projected 1.8 million cars. By 2030, that will rise to 15%, or 2.5 million units.

The pilot regions in the state EV program, in addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, will be Sevastopol and Sochi, as resort cities “with the potential for the development of electric car sharing." Kaliningrad, as a city “with a high concentration of production of vehicles and component base” and Kazan, as part of the development of the highway M12. 

Those cities will develop programmes for the development of infrastructure and it is planned to introduce "zero transport tax and free parking," the concept shows.

According to the Ministry of Economic Development more than 20,000 charging stations are needed in Russia for EVs until 2024. This will require RUB 37.7 billion, of which 40% will come from the federal budget and 10% from regional funds. The infrastructure will be created on the basis of at least one station for 10 electric vehicles in settlements or for 100 kilometres on the highways.

Russian domestic sales of EVs surged in January-March to 307 units. These figures are almost six times higher than in the first quarter of 2020 (53 units). 

In 2020, Russian purchases of electric cars increased to 687 units, up by 95% on-year. Total EV sales, which include both second-hand and new registrations, rose 60% last year to a total of 5,273 units.