Electric vehicles have yet to dominate: Future of automotive industry in Uzbekistan discussed at Automechanika

What does the future hold for the electric vehicle (EV) industry? Will EVs gain wider acceptance in Uzbekistan? Representatives from the government, leaders of automotive companies, and experts sought to answer these questions during a discussion at the Automechanika exhibition in Tashkent.

How popular are Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan’s residents still hesitate to purchase electric vehicles, according to Konstantin Nikolaenko, a representative of MG Motor in the republic. He supported this claim with statistics on vehicle sales in the country.

«You can see the official sales statistics for cars in Uzbekistan over the past months of 2024. The sales of diesel and petrol vehicles account for approximately 96%. This remains the largest share,» Nikolaenko stated, showing a slide with the data to the discussion participants.

Only 3.4% of sales were attributed to electric vehicles, with the remainder made up of hybrid cars.

«This is still a niche product; you could say it’s a new toy,» the speaker added.

Nikolaenko noted that the trend towards eco-friendliness is becoming increasingly relevant for the automotive industry and consumers. However, this trend does not necessarily correlate with the popularity of electric vehicles.

Globally, the adoption of Euro environmental standards is rising, which limit the harmful substances in the exhaust emissions of hydrocarbon-fuelled vehicles. Consequently, according to the MG Motor representative, the primary source of environmental harm today does not come from cars (which contribute about 20% of pollution) but rather from power plants and factories.

Nikolaenko added that a broader use of electric vehicles will not automatically improve the environmental situation due to the issues associated with battery use.

«To label an electric vehicle as environmentally friendly, we must ensure that it operates on the same battery for 27 years. Currently, no battery can function for that long. We simply lack the technology,» the speaker remarked. He also mentioned that the infrastructure for battery disposal is not sufficiently developed.

Government interest

The Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan agrees that the issue of electric vehicle battery disposal is pressing.

«The disposal problem is relevant not only for our country but for the entire world. This issue is perhaps the most critical in this field,» acknowledged Aziza Sharofova, a senior specialist in the Atmospheric Air Protection Department of the Ministry of Ecology.

She added that producing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles requires an enormous amount of electricity. This constitutes the second major issue related to these batteries.

Sharofova highlighted the positive aspects of electric vehicles, such as reduced harmful emissions, low noise levels, and a smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional cars. She particularly emphasised the impact of the first factor.

«The automotive industry must now focus on developing electric and hybrid vehicle production, as the problem of air quality is intensifying in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and globally. Electric vehicles contribute to reducing pollutant emissions to some extent. Therefore, we must support this direction,» the representative from the Ministry of Ecology added.

Thus, the authorities declare that they view the proliferation of electric vehicles as a means to tackle pressing environmental issues, especially in large cities.

What about car manufacturers?

Representatives from the automotive industry shared how they are trying to carve out a space in a world that is awakening the interest in electric vehicles. Aziz Nishanbaev, the head of sales at SamAuto (Samarkand Automobile Plant), noted that the company is starting to seriously consider entering this new niche.

«This is the need of our time… to supply an eco-friendly product,» said Nishanbaev. He specifically highlighted the importance of maintaining environmental standards when manufacturing equipment such as trucks and buses.

Khaled Seif, the Marketing Director for Lubricants at Shell Markets Middle East, discussed new approaches to the industry. He stated that it is the market players’ responsibility to seek solutions to the constantly emerging problems.

«Traditional lubricants for internal combustion engines are not relevant to this topic (of electric vehicles), but there are other technical fluids that Shell is currently developing. These will address the new challenges we face,» Seif said.

The Automechanika exhibition opened in Tashkent on November 23. Over 430 companies from various countries participated in the event.

Kursiv Uzbekistan published a photo report from the first day of the event.