Central Asian neighbor Kyrgyzstan seeks to increase car imports from China
On April 8, the Kyrgyz National Agency for Investment signed a memorandum of cooperation in the automotive sector with A-CAR (Chuanyi Limited Liability Company), covering the supply and sales of new Chinese vehicles in Kyrgyzstan as well as the development of service infrastructure.
This Chinese company plans to establish a network of dealerships and set up official representative offices across Central Asia.
A-CAR supplies vehicles from both Chinese and internationally renowned brands and offers comprehensive services including technical maintenance, vehicle registration, and insurance.
A significant portion of vehicles imported from China into Kyrgyzstan are re-exported to Russia rather than remaining in the local market.
Kyrgyzstan implements a tax exemption policy for electric vehicles, which greatly facilitates the import of Chinese EVs. As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Kyrgyzstan enjoys an annual quota allowing duty-free import of up to 15,000 electric vehicles.
Sergey Tselikov, head of Russian automotive analysis firm Autostat, stated in his Telegram channel that Kyrgyzstan remains Russia’s second-largest source of new passenger vehicle imports, trailing only behind China. He noted that 84% of new passenger vehicles imported through Kyrgyzstan are manufactured in China, including models from Chinese, European, and Japanese brands.
According to Autostat statistics, among EAEU member states, Kyrgyzstan is Russia’s largest supplier of new passenger vehicles. In 2025, Russia imported 53,600 new passenger vehicles from Kyrgyzstan—followed by 17,100 from Belarus, 11,000 from Kazakhstan, and 344 from Armenia.
Kyrgyzstan is also seeking collaboration with Chinese enterprises to jointly develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
In late March, Energy Minister Talaiybek Ibrayev visited China and held a series of meetings with energy and technology companies involved in EV infrastructure development. The discussions focused on energy infrastructure cooperation, including the construction of EV charging stations and energy storage systems in Kyrgyzstan.
These initiatives align with the Kyrgyz government’s efforts to promote environmentally friendly transportation and reduce air pollution in Bishkek and other major cities.
Official data shows that the number of electric vehicles in Kyrgyzstan continues to grow, with more than 200 EVs imported daily under the VAT exemption policy.
Despite the growth in EV numbers, according to data from Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, electric vehicles still represent a small share of the country’s total vehicle fleet—approximately 0.8%, or around 15,200 vehicles.
Source: Central Asia Times
Author: Sergey Kwan
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862008323295243/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author personally.