Several leaders of electric car dealerships in Uzbekistan have addressed an appeal to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. They accompanied their messages with hashtags #erkinraqobattarafdorimiz ("we are for a free market") and #erkinraqobat ("free competition").
One representative from King Motors, mainly selling BYD electric cars, stated that the head of the state has made significant efforts to develop the "green" economy and promote electric vehicles among the population.
Since 2023, the President's decision allowed the sale of new imported cars not only by official manufacturer dealers but also by other importers. This led to many companies importing cars from China and other countries and selling them at lower prices. Over 400 entrepreneurs organized car dealerships and service centers for electric cars, importing 21 thousand electric cars worth $630 million in 2023, contributing $1.25 trillion to the budget through taxes and other payments.
However, starting from April 1, 2024, private entrepreneurs faced restrictions on importing electric cars, causing issues with contracts, possible debts, and certification problems. The entrepreneurs highlighted the potential loss of jobs and bankruptcy risks for themselves and their employees.
They urged the President to lift the restrictions imposed in April and support an open market. Other dealerships like Trianon Motors and DAFex MOTORS also expressed concerns about potential business closures and requested the government's intervention.
The founder of SI Motors, Sitora Vyadenova, who returned to Uzbekistan after studying in China, appealed to President Mirziyoyev to maintain the current customs and certification procedures for car imports, emphasizing their support for a free market.
Representatives from AJ Motors, Alliance Motors, CarBazaar, avtodiler.uz, and others also echoed similar appeals. The government had previously discussed tightening car import rules, including for electric cars, with plans to restrict imports by individuals for commercial purposes from 2024 and return to selling new foreign cars only through official dealers.
While the implementation of these changes was temporarily halted due to criticism, recent directives indicate a revival of these plans. The recent order from Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to ban car clearance if the conformity certificate is issued to another person has caused uncertainty in the automotive market.
Despite the looming changes, the situation remains fluid as the official enforcement of these measures has not been confirmed. In 2023, UzAuto Motors dominated 81% of Uzbekistan's car market, producing 369.99 thousand cars worth $4.85 billion, while ADM Jizzakh held 5.5%, and the rest comprised imports, including 8948 BYD cars worth $291 million.
