The Ministry of Industry and Trade wants to tighten access to preferential car leasing

The Ministry of Industry and Trade wants to tighten access to the preferential car leasing program. Only cars with a high level of localization will be able to participate in it, as has already been done for preferential car loans. As a result, BAIC, Kaiyi, SWM, which were assembled at the Kaliningrad Avtotor, which were included in the list only this year, will probably fall out of the list of available models. Thus, state support will be concentrated on the products of GAZ, Sollers, KamAZ and Lada.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is considering the possibility of introducing a minimum localization level for access to the preferential car leasing program, the ministry told Kommersant. Now, they remind, the program applies to car models that are produced within the framework of the SPIC.

The localization bar has already been in effect since 2024 for preferential car loans: you need to score 1.6 thousand points. As a result, only one Haval model, the Jolion, is included in the program of foreign cars (see Kommersant on February 14). In addition to it, within the program you can buy Lada (the bulk of the deals) and UAZ. According to Kommersant’s interlocutors, for access to preferential leasing the bar will also be set at 1.6 thousand points. At the same time, Kommersant’s interlocutor at the leasing company believes that it will be difficult to quickly revise the list of models.

Now the choice of models in preferential leasing is much wider: for example, it can be used for all Haval models produced in the Russian Federation. In February, the program included BAIC, Kaiyi, SWM assembled by the Kaliningrad Avtotor – company representative Kirill Luchkin spoke about this on February 14 during the Autostat event. The Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed that these models currently meet the conditions of the program.

At the same time, some leasing companies told Kommersant that they do not conduct transactions on these models because “the level of localization is insufficient.” Probably, we are talking about future requirements that have already been communicated to the lessors.

The use of an additional bar in points “may entail a reduction in the existing list of subsidized property,” says Maria Abalakova, head of the department of state regulation and corporate control of Alfa-Leasing. According to her, the greatest demand now is for Lada, GAZ and Haval. General Director of VTB Leasing Anton Musatov says that in 2023, the most popular cars under preferential leasing were Lada Granta, Haval Jolion, GAZelle Next, and in 2024, in three weeks (from January 24), customers most often purchased GAZelle Next, UAZ “Patriot” and Lada Granta.

As a result, the choice of models for preferential leasing in the passenger segment will be similar to car loans. In the LCV and truck segments, GAZ, Sollers and KamAZ vehicles will be available. Thus, GAZ models score more than 3 thousand points with R&D and about 2–2.5 thousand points without R&D, as follows from the conclusions of 2023. KamAZ has at least 2 thousand points for truck models without R&D. Sollers Atlant, according to the February conclusion, scores about 3 thousand points taking into account R&D, without – about 1 thousand points due to welding and painting and a number of other operations. Sollers told Kommersant that they plan to increase localization to a level above 1.6 thousand points by the end of the year, excluding R&D, through the engine, gearbox, stamping and electronics.

Haval says that if the restriction is introduced, one model will continue to participate in the program – Jolion. They note that they are working to increase localization for other models, citing, among other things, the imminent launch of an engine plant, but “it will take time to overcome this level.” Haval models, with the exception of Jolion, score about 1.1–1.2 thousand points.

Avtotor planned a gradual transition to welding and painting, just like Moskvich. As of September 2023, the conclusion on localization was only for Moskvich 3, which scored 1.1 thousand with R&D and 40 points without R&D. But even welding and painting, with which everyone starts localization and under the terms of which the SPIC was originally concluded, gives only 900 points.

Sergei Udalov from Avtostat notes that in the context of a limited budget for demand support programs and high competition for these funds between manufacturers, it is quite fair to introduce localization requirements. However, he notes that the size of the bar may still vary depending on the type of transport. The budget for preferential car leasing in 2024 is 2 billion rubles. Initially, the same amount was allocated a year earlier, but in the summer the budget was increased by 7.8 billion rubles. after increasing the recycling rate.

Olga Nikitina, Polina Trifonova