MOSCOW -- Russia plans to start production of the Soviet-era Moskvich cars in December, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, more than six months after Renault's exit set the wheels in motion for the classic car's return.
Sobyanin in May said Moskvich production would preserve thousands of jobs, but the former Renault Avtoframos plant, renamed Moscow Automobile Factory Moskvich, has been idle since then.
"The automobile industry has seriously flopped this year, but nevertheless, I hope that we can launch the Moskvich plant in December with the help of the Industry and Trade Ministry," Interfax news agency quoted Sobyanin as saying on Thursday.
The Moskvich, which translates as a native of Moscow, ceased production around two decades ago.
The Moskvich plant on Thursday said it hoped to produce about 600 cars this year, including 200 electric vehicles, and 50,000 cars in 2023.
The plant cited Sobyanin as saying that Moscow has all necessary expertise to be a center of the electric vehicle industry.
The Moscow mayor's office and Russia's largest truckmaker Kamaz agreed in August to invest 5 billion rubles in the Moskvich plant.
Kamaz is searching for a foreign partner to produce cars in Moscow. Sources have said Kamaz could partner with China's JAC to use a Chinese design, engineering and production platform.
Renault sold its majority stake in Lada maker AvtoVAZ to the Russian state in May for reportedly just one ruble ($0.0165), but with a six-year option to buy it back. The same state institution also bought Nissan's assets this month for one euro.
