Russian carmaker AVTOVAZ will halt production from 16 to 20 May due to a lack of semiconductors and other components, according to the firm’s trade union.
Earlier, AVTOVAZ suspended production of cars from 30 April to 11 May due to planned corporate vacation and holidays amid the ongoing shortage of auto components.
French automaker Renault intends to transfer its 68% stake in Russian carmaker AVTOVAZ to Russian science institute NAMI (see Kallanish passim). In March, Renault suspended operations in Russia following the levying of Western sanctions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
At present, the production of cars and trucks in Russia is being carried out only by Haveil Motor Rus and truck-maker Kamaz, Kallanish notes.
The Mazda Sollers plant in Vladivostok is meanwhile on vacation and will resume work on 19 May.
UAZ announced a corporate holiday for six working days in the first half of May. As a result, the conveyor at the enterprise will be stopped for two weeks. Avtotor suspended production of cars during its corporate holiday, which will last from 1 to 22 May.
More than 20 foreign carmakers have suspended production or left the Russian market since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on 24 February and sanctions were imposed against Russia.
Carmakers in Russia decreased output in January-March to 244,000 passenger cars, down by 33.2% on-year (see Kallanish passim). In March alone, 41,000 units were produced, down by 72% on-year, the steepest fall since Covid-19 lockdowns slashed output to 30,000 cars in April 2020, Rosstat says.
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
