Over the past decade, Hyundai has made great efforts to locate the assembly of the maximum number of models sold here in Russia. The production of the Hyundai Solaris and Creta cars was carried out in a full cycle (with welding and painting of the bodies) at its own plant in Saint Petersburg, an engine factory started working alongside and the assembly of other cars was organized in Kaliningrad. The Avtotor and Hyundai Sonata sedans were also produced here in full cycle CKD (the rest are SKD “screwdriver” assembly). Of the entire passenger range, only the H-1 and Saria minivans remained imported. But everything has changed since February.
Hyundai’s St. Petersburg plant went into idle on March 1, Avtotor worked intermittently in the spring and summer, although assembly of the Korean cars was still carried out in small batches with the arrival of components. And Hyundai, meanwhile, has started delivering cars directly from South Korea. Furthermore, the documentary possibility of such imports was foreseen long ago.
Hyundai has been doing “double certification” for many of its vehicles for many years. According to the law, different vehicle type approvals (OTTS) must be issued for the same models of local and foreign production, which the Koreans have done. Before it was more of a reinsurance: for example, the first batch of crossover Hyundai Tucson new generation he came to us from South Korea, but soon the assembly started at the Kaliningrad Avtotor. Now this practice has taken on a new meaning.-
