A number of Chinese automakers, whose monthly sales volumes in Russia amount to dozens of vehicles, may follow the example of the Kaiyi brand and suspend sales of new cars on the domestic market. Denis Gavrilov, an automotive industry expert, expressed this opinion in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
He drew attention to the fact that Kaiyi’s official statement did not indicate whether dealerships would continue to sell new cars, which, according to the expert, indicates that their deliveries have ceased. Gavrilov clarified that the declining interest in the brand has been observed for a long time, and attempts to localize production have failed to ensure the brand a stable position in the Russian market, since the brand has not been able to find its customers.
Denis Gavrilov emphasized that the Russian automotive market has undergone a significant transformation since 2022-2023. Under these conditions, automakers with low brand recognition and insignificant sales volumes, which appeared in the country approximately three to four years ago, may well decide to cease operations.
The expert does not rule out that those companies that may leave the market will also include those that attempted to establish assembly production in Russia. In the absence of significant marketing strategies and such modest sales figures, the success of such players is questionable.
