From 2026, a number of popular Chinese car brands will significantly increase in price in Belarus
Quotas for duty-free import of electric vehicles have been returned and even increased, but many popular "electric cars" will, on the contrary, become more expensive.
Voyah Free — a popular car in Belarus, which from the new year will not be possible to import without paying duties. Photo: "Nasha Niva"
The quota has increased, but there's a nuance
This year, Belarusians (individuals and legal entities) could import electric vehicles without paying customs duties only until October 1, as the 15,000 quota, provided for Belarus for the entire year 2025, was exhausted in 9 months.
The other day, at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council of Heads of Government of the EAEU countries, new quota sizes for duty-free import of electric vehicles into Armenia, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan were agreed upon.
For Belarus, this figure increased from 15,000 this year to 20,000 for 2026.
Tesla — an example of a 100% electric vehicle, for which a duty-free import quota of 20,000 units has been introduced. Photo: "Nasha Niva"
But in the case of our country, there is a very important circumstance — these 20,000 include only pure electric vehicles, and not electric vehicles and series hybrids (EREV), as it was before.
What does this mean in practice?
From the new year, a 15-percent duty will have to be paid on the import of series hybrids (EREV), which are quite popular. Among them are Voyah Free, Li 7, Li 9, and a number of other Chinese-made brands and models that are driven by an electric motor but also have a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that operates as a generator for charging the battery.
In addition, series hybrids, unlike electric vehicles under 5 years old, will be subject to a 21% value-added tax when imported into Belarus from January 1, 2026, which, together with the 15% customs duty, will significantly affect their price.
It is likely that due to these circumstances, demand for them will decrease, and buyers will prefer pure "electric cars" or, conversely, cars with a conventional gasoline or diesel engine.
Conventional hybrids, as well as plug-in hybrids, where the internal combustion engine drives the wheels, are cleared at the same tariffs as cars with internal combustion engines, as before.
Notably, a recent study showed that hybrid cars pollute the environment almost as much as gasoline cars.
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родился на свет как временное решение когда батарейки были слабенькие и дорогие.