As of May 2025, a decline in electric vehicle sales in Russia has been recorded for the eleventh consecutive month. According to data from the agency "Autostat," 786 electric vehicles were sold last month — a 28% decrease compared to the same period last year. The share of electric vehicles in overall passenger car sales was merely 0.9%.
For comparison, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the share of electric vehicles in new passenger car sales in India in 2024 was 2.1%, in the USA it was 10%, in the EU it reached 21%, and in China it was as high as 48%.
One of the contributing factors is the increase in tax burdens. Starting this year, the utilization fee rate for electric vehicles "up to three years old" has been raised from 32,600 rubles to 667,400 rubles. This is particularly critical in a context where the transition from gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles is complicated by the relatively low availability of charging infrastructure, especially for long-distance travel.
The growth in fiscal pressure is, among other things, narrowing the potential demand for electricity. In the United States, electricity consumption by electric vehicles reached 2.9 billion kWh in the first two months of 2025, nearly tripling the level of January-February 2023 (1 billion kWh). Thus, the electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly significant for electricity suppliers; this niche could develop in Russia — provided that the utilization fee is reduced.
Source: RBC Companies
