- The project is being led by the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI).
- A state-owned nuclear company is already working to establish two EV battery factories in the country.
- Local car production has fallen dramatically in Russia over the past three years.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it may not have foreseen the backlash from its actions. Restrictive sanctions were soon placed on the country, and many international companies operating in Russia shut down their operations. Most Western automakers quickly fled, causing new car sales to plummet. However, Russia is working on what it hopes will be a solution.
According to new reports, the government plans to invest up to $900 million into the development of a national car platform over the next three years. This new platform will be flexible enough to be used by a wide variety of vehicles, with a particular focus on hybrids and EVs.
More: Russia’s New Kama Atom EV Is A Weird-Looking SUV With Chinese Tech
The majority of the funding for the new platform comes from the Russian Parliament, while the project is being led by the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI). The name of that institute may ring a bell as NAMI already owns Aurus Motors, a premium Russian brand that has been building luxurious limos for President Putin for several years.
“By designing such a modular platform, we are laying the foundation for developing our own automotive production,” director of the Department of Strategic Development and Corporate Policy in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Alexey Matushansky, said when recently announcing the project.
“It will be used for the assembly of cars of various classes from Golf (compact) class to business class. NAMI will play the leading role in implementation of this project, while its main task will be to unify the component base for this platform. The new platform will be also used for serial production of hybrid and especially electric vehicles in the future.”
Russian state-operated nuclear energy corporation Rosatom will play an important role in making the platform a reality. Wards Auto reports the company is already working on two gigafactories to produce battery cells for the upcoming EV. It’s also said to be working on an integrated electric powertrain for the vehicle and will use composite materials in its construction to reduce weight.
Local car production in Russia has dropped dramatically since the Ukraine invasion. In 2021, approximately 1.34 million vehicles were built in the country, but this fell to 448,246 in 2022. While many legacy firms have left, numerous Chinese brands have landed in Russia and have started building new models in plants abandoned by Western automakers.
