Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade reported a rise in new vehicle sales for the third quarter of 2026, driven by state-supported loan and leasing programs.
Key facts
- •New car sales in the third quarter of 2026 exceeded 396,000 units.
- •Government-subsidized loan and leasing programs supported the sale of 178,200 domestic vehicles this year.
- •Total new vehicle sales for January through September 2026 reached 1,076,512 units.
- •The share of Russian-made vehicles in the total market rose to 63.8% over the first nine months of 2026.
- •Electric and hybrid vehicle sales nearly doubled, reaching 99,700 units in the first nine months of 2026.
New car sales in Russia surpassed 396,000 units during the third quarter of 2026, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This figure represents a 4.2% increase over the second quarter and a 32.3% rise compared to the first quarter of 2026. The ministry attributed the recovery in the automotive market to government initiatives designed to stimulate demand for domestic vehicles.
By the numbers
Market Performance and Domestic Production
In the first nine months of 2026, total sales of new vehicles reached 1,076,512 units, marking a 6.2% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Domestically produced cars accounted for 687,000 of these sales, a 23.4% increase year-over-year. The market share for Russian-made vehicles rose by 8.9 percentage points to reach 63.8% over the nine-month period.
Electric and Commercial Vehicle Trends
The hybrid and electric vehicle segment saw significant growth, with 99,700 units sold in the first nine months of 2026, a 94.6% increase compared to the previous year. Russian-made electric and hybrid vehicles captured a 28.4% share of this segment. Conversely, the market for light commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses experienced declines during the same nine-month period.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by TASS (English).
