Coins will be added to cars: financing of demand for cars will be increased in Russia
Over the next three years, financing of government programs to stimulate demand for Russian models (preferential car loans and leasing) will be increased by almost 50 billion rubles. A total of 164 billion rubles will be allocated for them until 2028. Izvestia found out what these support measures will give to the Russian car market and the domestic car industry and how to make them more effective.
Have you found the funds
In 2026-2028, financing of preferential car loans and leasing programs is planned in the amount of 164 billion rubles. This was stated by Albert Karimov, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, at a round table held in the Federation Council on the localization of car production in Russia.
— For the next three years, we will maintain the validity of these instruments based on current budget opportunities. Taking into account the amendments to the draft law on the budget, which has already been adopted by the State Duma, we plan to allocate over 164 billion rubles for measures to stimulate demand," he said.
Previously, the volume of financing of these state programs until 2028 was planned at the level of 115 billion rubles. Thus, over the next three years, preferential car loans and leasing programs will receive an additional $50 billion.
According to the deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, next year about 20 billion rubles will be allocated for preferential car loans, and 30 billion rubles for preferential leasing. At the same time, according to the statement of Tigran Parsadanyan, director of the Department of Automotive Industry and Railway Engineering of the Ministry, made at the end of last year, in the current 2025 the amount of financing for preferential car loans is 36 billion rubles, and the state program for preferential leasing is 27 billion rubles.
According to the results of ten months, a total of 163 thousand new cars were sold in Russia under both programs. Of these, more than 113 thousand are Lada models.
Who gets the benefits
Preferential government programs were renewed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in July 2022 and have been repeatedly extended and supplemented. The preferential car loan program applies to doctors, teachers, members of their families and their families. These categories of citizens can purchase cars with internal combustion engines worth up to 2 million rubles at a 20% discount (interest rates on loans are subsidized from the budget), which are manufactured in Russia (localization level of at least 2 thousand points) and are included in the list of models approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The discount is 25% for residents of the Far East regions. When buying an electric car manufactured in Russia, the discount is 35%, but not more than 925 thousand rubles.
Since mid—May, families with three or more children have also been included in this program - they are entitled to a 10% discount. In addition, special conditions have been introduced for the purchase of manually operated vehicles for members of the SVO who were injured in the war zone — a 40% discount on such vehicles.
As for preferential leasing, under the terms of this program, by the end of this year, the discount (part of lease payments is compensated from the budget) on Russian-made commercial equipment with a localization level of at least 2 thousand points has also been increased from 10 to 20%.
Positive effect
AvtoVAZ welcomes the effective measures taken by the government to stimulate demand in the automotive market, the company told Izvestia.
Increased financing of measures to support demand for domestic cars is an undoubted plus, says Maxim Kadakov, editor—in-chief of Za Rulem magazine. They somehow encourage potential buyers to purchase a Russian-built car, he notes.
— It's very bad when these programs are "wasted" and people can't participate in them. And it is very good that the state has the financial capacity to continue these programs and expand them," he told Izvestia.
The increase in financing of preferential car loans and leasing programs will certainly have a significant positive impact on demand for domestic cars, said Irina Frank, CEO of Frank Auto. This mechanism purposefully works in the interests of the Russian automotive industry, she emphasizes.
"The financing, increased by almost 50 billion rubles, will allow us to support a significantly larger number of purchases, thereby maintaining stable sales for domestic producers in an environment where market support remains relevant,— notes Irina Frank.
With changes and additions
At the same time, experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that preferential car loans and leasing programs need to be changed to make them more effective.
Of course, these support measures provide significant assistance to both domestic car factories and the market as a whole, Igor Morzharetto, partner of the Autostat analytical agency, told Izvestia.
— But since they are tied to loans and leasing, they provide more support to banks and leasing companies. A scheme seems more effective when a buyer, purchasing a domestic car, receives a direct discount, which is compensated by the state directly to the car factory. This will expand the range of potential consumers, including at the expense of people who are willing to purchase a car without resorting to the use of borrowed funds," the expert noted.
Maxim Kadakov holds a similar point of view. In addition, the editor-in-chief of Za Rulem considers it necessary to review the terms of such programs themselves.
— In addition to increasing allocations for these government programs, it is necessary to raise the price bar. Currently, not all Russian-made cars fall under the limit of 2 million rubles. The time has long overdue to raise it to at least 2.5 million rubles — this will allow us to cover a wider range of models that are interesting to people," the Izvestia interlocutor believes.
In the current economic reality, preferential car loans and leasing programs are a justified measure, Irina Frank is convinced. On the one hand, they support the domestic car industry, on the other, they perform a social function, helping certain categories of citizens to get a car, she recalled.
— At the same time, it is important to ensure that such support does not become a permanent "artificial ground" for the market and the automotive industry to the detriment of its long—term competitiveness and development without government subsidies, - said the CEO of Frank Auto.
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