26.05.2023 / How Chinese brands conquer the Russian market

According to the marketing agency NAPI,  316.4 thousand cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses were sold in Russia in January-April 2023. The whole automotive market decreased by 13.3% on the last year.

The market composition also changed significantly because the most automotive brands left the market. On the one hand, the share of Russian vehicles increased from 28.4% to 41.5%. On the other hand, the share of Chinese brands has grown even more impressively – from 8.9% to 38.5%.

The growth of sales "in quantitative terms" looks even more impressive: Chinese brands increased their sales by 89.4 thousand units in the fallen market.

New vehicle market by country of the brand origin,
January-April 2022, 2023

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

If we analyze the situation in each segment, Chinese manufacturers have achieved even greater success in a number of them.

The share of Chinese brands has grown to 40% over the year in the car market: first, Chinese brands are mastering the SUV segment, where they accounted for 60%, following results of four months of 2023. 

New car market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chinese brands share in the new car market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

The new light commercial vehicle market has not been very interesting to Chinese manufacturers for a long time: following results of 4 months of the last year, they accounted for only 1%. Over the year, the share of Chinese brands has not increased so much: in January-April 2023, it reached 7.4% of the market. Pickups are mainly supplied to the Russian market; Chinese vehicles occupied 38.1% in the new pickup sales this year.

New LCV market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chinese brands share in the new pickup market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chinese manufacturers have achieved the most significant success in the truck segment, where they occupied 54.3% of the market, following results of four months of the current year, taking the palm from Russian manufacturers. It is noteworthy that the share of Chinese brands in the new dumper market has already reached 78.6%. In the tractor unit market, where there was no Chinese vehicles until February 24, 2022, they occupied 66.4%.

New truck market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chines brands share in the new truck market,
January-April 2022

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chines brands share in the new truck market,
January-April 2023

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

In the new bus market, the positions of Chinese brands are not so strong: following results of January-April of the current year, Chinese vehicles accounted for 13.8%. However, in the large (10-12 m) and extra-large (over 12 m) bus segments, their share is much higher – 31.7% and 25.6%, respectively.

New bus market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

Chines brands share in the new bus market

Source: NAPI (National Industrial Information Agency)

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