The serial production of the first Russian electric vehicle Zetta is scheduled to begin by the end of 2021, according to the Russian head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov.

“Today the tests are being completed and we expect that by the end of the year they will already start producing it,” he said in an interview published on the web site of the ministry.

Previously, the serial production of the state-owned start-up Zetta would have begun in 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the production launch date was postponed for several months, Kallanish notes. Production is set to take place at project partner Togliatti's automotive plant.

The car is a three-door hatchback. In the basic configuration, the model will receive front-wheel drive and a 180 km battery. The Zetta can be charged from almost any source of energy - from a 220-380 watt socket or from a transformer.

The enterprise in Togliatti plans to produce more than 15,000 units/year, half of which will go to foreign markets. With a maximum speed of 120 km/hour, the EV has an entry-level starting price of RUB 550,000 ($7,533).

Russia is yet to launch mass production of EVs. Kamaz and SPbPU are targeting first domestic electric vehicle production of Kama-1 later this or next year, with sales of 20,000 cars/year. Domestic carmaker Avtotor also said it will begin EV production in 2023. Avtovaz, which is producing Lada cars, is preparing for EV production in the next ten years.

In March, Russian media reported that the joint venture Ford Sollers will begin production of the Ford electric Transit van in Russia in 2022, which would be the country’s first serial EV production.

Russian domestic sales of electric vehicles continued to increase in January-May to 650 units, which is seven times more than in the same period of 2020 (92 units). In May alone, 148 EVs were sold, which is almost 10 times more than in May 2020 (15).