Uzbekistan increases EV recycling fee by 300%
Starting May 1, 2025, a fourfold increase in recycling fees for electric cars took effect in Uzbekistan. The new rule, however, applies only to vehicles brought from abroad. Car importers haven’t even tried to hide their dissatisfaction, as they now are forced to pay $3,500 to $6,200 per vehicle in extra costs, as reported by Kun.uz.
How tariffs have changed
Under the new rules, the registration of an imported electric car under three years old now costs approximately $3,500, compared to around $900 before the amendments. For older models, the recycling fee has risen to roughly $6,100.
Earlier this year, Uzbek authorities said the measure was necessary to finance the development of the battery recycling industry. However, no details on the fund’s disposition have been revealed.
At the same time, the car registration process has become stringent. From now on, every privately imported electric car must undergo certification at a test site near Tashkent, which takes additional time and incurs extra costs.
It is worth noting that the new tariffs do not apply to gasoline-powered cars, with recycling fees for this type remaining at 2020 rates, which vary based on engine capacity and the vehicle’s date of manufacture. The same applies to hybrid cars, despite their use of electric motive power.
The demand for e-cars in Uzbekistan
In recent years, Uzbekistan has emerged as a major consumer of electric cars, including those by BYD, Tesla, Changan and Deepal. According to the local customs service, 41,500 electric and hybrid vehicles were imported in 2024, surpassing for the first time the import of cars with internal combustion engines (nearly 33,000), with Chinese imports accounting for 99.5% of the total volume.
Likely consequences for the Uzbek car market
Private dealerships are concerned that the new measures will once again push electric cars into the upmarket goods category. First, the domestic market still lacks a wide selection. Second, most consumers choose Chinese brands not out of preference, but because of their features-to-price ratio. At the same time, authorities expect domestic factories to assemble over 10,000 electric cars, which is expected to compensate for the drop in imports.
According to experts, e-car manufacturers from China, the U.S. and other countries would lose ground in the market, while the Uzbek car industry would thrive due to the preferences granted. Local facilities are exempt from paying the recycling fee until 2030, allowing them to remain competitive. For instance, Chinese company BYD, which has localized production in Uzbekistan, will continue to sell e-vehicles without additional costs.
Recycling fee for e-cars in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has not yet introduced a recycling fee for electric cars, while the volume of such imports continues to rise. In 2024, more than 22,000 Chinese-manufactured cars entered the country, including electric models.
In February, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology discussed the difficulties of recycling lithium-ion batteries. The agency also noted that the number of eco-friendly cars had reached 12,000 over the past four years. At that time, officials indicated that neighboring countries were already in the process of introducing a recycling fee for this type of vehicle.
In early March, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed the cabinet to ensure that officials use domestically assembled vehicles from brands such as Chevrolet, Kia, BYD and Chery instead of imported cars.
