Motor named three innovations that will change the lives of Russian drivers from April 1

From April 1, the accident rate under compulsory motor liability insurance will be recalculated for Russians; the list of cars subject to luxury tax has also been significantly expanded in Russia. In addition, several new car models are expected to enter the market in April. Also, the Ministry of Industry and Trade promised in April to close the channel for the profitable import of foreign cars through Kazakhstan and Belarus and did not abandon these intentions.

What will happen to car prices?

In April 2026, car prices in Russia will increase. According to industry experts, if demand for cars exceeds supply, car prices in April could rise by 1.5-2%.

In the next 3-6 months, the price increase for new cars will be 5-10%, Yuri Blinov, marketing director of the Avilon automobile group, noted in an interview with Motor magazine.

“According to our forecast, in the next 3-6 months, prices for new passenger models may rise by another 5-10%. At the same time, support programs and discounts from importers remain on the market, which partially smooths out the overall increase in cost,” Blinov said.

Auto expert, former head of the Russian Automobile Dealers Association Oleg Moseev believes that in the current market conditions a significant increase in prices for new cars cannot be expected.

“I doubt that in the current market, which is still difficult to call live, anyone will rewrite the price tags. With the revival of the market, we may encounter a shortage of certain models and brands, then a correction is possible,” Moseev said in an interview with Motor.

Volkswagen Taigun GT Edge Trail Edition
Volkswagen

At the same time, the closure of the opportunity to save on customs duties and taxes for Russians importing cars through the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and registering them on more favorable terms than in Russia has been postponed.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade planned to introduce a unified formula for calculating the recycling fee for cars imported from the EAEU countries from April 1 (in addition to the Russian Federation, it includes Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia).

According to this formula, the difference in the customs duty that must be paid when directly importing a car into Russia and the one that was actually paid in the EAEU country will be added to the amount of the recycling fee provided for a particular category of car. The difference in VAT and excise taxes will also be added to the disposal fee. The introduction of this measure was postponed to a later date, which immediately caused a revival of the market in this direction of alternative imports.

“The topic of importing cars through Kyrgyzstan is again becoming relevant. Many Russians wanted to bring cars, but had doubts, since the date of introduction of this measure was set at April 1. And many who doubted it have now begun to act,” explained Dmitry Rogov, the founder of the RogovMobil company (which supplies cars from South Korea and China) in an interview with Motor magazine.

OSAGO

The law, which provides for the possibility of fining car owners for knowingly not having a compulsory motor liability insurance policy no more than once a day, was adopted at the end of March in the second and third readings. It was signed by President Vladimir Putin.

However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs hastened to declare that it is not yet technically possible to fine motorists for not having a compulsory motor liability insurance policy using traffic cameras.

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia explains that at the moment there is no technical ability to automatically administer traffic violations under compulsory motor third party liability insurance policies using photo and video recording. Accordingly, the fines provided for in Article 12.37 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, based on the analysis of photo and video materials, will not be applied to drivers,” official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Irina Volk said in her Telegram channel.

Road accident
Neural networks

Moreover, from April 1, in accordance with current legislation, the bonus-malus coefficient (BMC) will be recalculated for drivers, which depends on the accident rate and directly affects the cost of the auto insurance policy. The base rate is multiplied by it, among other coefficients.

The minimum BMR value for drivers who have not been involved in an accident for many years is 0.46. The maximum value of KBM reaches 3.92. For novice drivers it is set at 1.17.

“On April 1st there will be a recount of the KBM. Taking into account the fact that every year the number of those whom we call good drivers has increased, it seems to me that this trend will continue over the course of one year,” RIA Novosti quotes Nikolai Galushin, head of the National Insurance Information System (NSIS).

What cars will go on sale?

The start of sales of the GAC Aion V car in Russia is scheduled for April 2, 2026. The Chinese brand GAC is introducing its first electric car to our market. The car’s cruising range is 580 km, the power of the power plant is 204 hp, and one of the main distinguishing features of the car is fast charging. You can replenish the charge from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes.

GAC Aion V
GAC

Sales of the new Atom electric car should also start in April, as previously reported to the TASS agency by the commercial director of JSC Kama (developer of the Atom), Alexander Kostylev. The car itself is a four-meter hatchback, which the authors of the project call a “gadget car.”

Electric car “Atom”
JSC “Kama”

So, for example, it will have a screen on the steering wheel hub. Kama JSC sees car sharing and taxi services as its main consumer. The expected cost of the new product is 3 million rubles (including government subsidies, the amount of which is 925 thousand rubles).

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