Russia to Launch 1st Electric Car by 2020

Russia will isuue 1st electric car  "Zetta" in 2020, to be produced by the country.

According to Russia’s Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, the Russia vehicle’s certification is nearly a done deal.  He added that the production should start within the first quarter of 2020.

According to Moscow Times, the retail price for the Zetta electric car would be around $7,000, which would make it the cheapest of its class in the world, on par with other sub-$10,000 models such as: Renault City K-ZE and Ora R1.

The Zetta’s four in-wheel hub induction electric motors provide a nominal power of 46 horsepower and a peak of 97 horsepower. All of this will be powered by a 10 kilowatt battery that will give the Zetta its 200km range.

Zetta being 99% localised and the only foreign component being the battery imported from China. About two thirds of the production of Zetta is planned to be exported in 2020-2021,  CEO REMC Denis Shurovsky reported.

Meanwhile, the company intends to produce 15,000 Zetta vehicles annually and export two-thirds of the low-cost cars during 2020 and 2021.

Later, a new report published by CNN expected 2019 to be the year of the electric luxury car.

The report considered this year’s release of the Jaguar I-Pace was just the beginning. Starting next year and continuing in 2020, Jaguar will start getting competition from brands like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche. Tesla will also be raising the competitive bar even further.

Tesla hasn’t shown its smaller model Y crossover yet, but an unveiling is expected next year and production, possibly, the year after.