All due to changes in import rules
In Russia, prices for electric cars and hybrids from China are expected to rise sharply due to tightening import rules for legal entities, as reported by Izvestia.
The previously existing simplified procedure with the Conclusion on the Evaluation of a Single Vehicle (SOETS) now applies only to brands that have ceased official deliveries and are listed on the list of parallel imports.
«Bring and purchase popular Chinese electric cars of such brands as, for example, Zeekr, Avatr, Li, HiPhi, Lotus, from a reliable supplier-legal entity (with VAT, correct customs clearance, etc. .) or leasing will become impossible. Accordingly, such cars are gradually running out, and one can expect that in the future their cost will proportionally increase», — said the director of «Avilon Electro» Sergey Melyukh.
Vice-President of the National Automobile Union (NAU) Anton Shaparin said that the need to obtain OTTS instead of ZOETS provides for a mandatory series of tests of imported cars, including crash tests: «This is quite expensive and long procedure. In addition, if previously European test reports were recognized during the Russian certification of cars, this scheme does not yet work for Chinese documents. Accordingly, it is necessary to carry out a full cycle of certification tests».
Editor-in-chief of the Russian electric vehicle portal EV-Start, Ruslan Tarasov, hopes that the new requirements will force importers to concentrate on one or two brands.
«I hope that market players will divide it among themselves and instead of the current principle, when “everyone sells everything,” each brand will have one “owner.” who will be interested in its promotion. Accordingly, in this case there will be thoughtful marketing, customer support, and civilized approaches to warranty and post-warranty service for such machines, — says Ruslan Tarasov.