EP #38 | Why Russia Raised China Brothers' Car Tariff To Max | And Why Russians Angry About Quality?

Описание: Why Russian Winters Broke China’s Cars | Inside a ‘Brotherly’ Trade Fallout

Alternates:

From Rust to Revenge Taxes | Russia’s Backlash Against Chinese Cars
Can China Build Cars for Siberia? | Corrosion, Complaints and Catch-Up

Description

When Western automakers pulled out of Russia after the Ukraine war, Chinese brands rushed in to fill the vacuum. A few years later, many Russian drivers now say they were “played” — pointing to rust, failing parts and rising maintenance bills on their Chinese-made cars. This episode unpacks how a geopolitical opportunity turned into a very personal “household quarrel” between two supposed old brothers.

We walk through Russian media investigations, lab tests and real-world taxi stories from Siberia to St. Petersburg. From underbody rust after just two winters, to brake components seized by corrosion, to design flaws that trap salty water inside doors, we examine why Chinese cars struggled so badly on Russian winter roads compared with long-established European models.

In this episode we also look at how Chinese manufacturers and Russian regulators responded. Engineers at Great Wall, Chery, BYD and others are now upgrading materials, coatings and drainage systems, while Russia tightens standards and extends corrosion testing. The result is a fast-moving race between climate, regulation and industrial learning — and a reminder that “Made in China” can mean both bargain stock clearance and rapidly improving technology, depending on the model.

If you’re interested in how sanctions, supply chains and cold hard physics collide, this story offers a front-row seat. It’s not just about rusty cars — it’s about how emerging manufacturing powers adapt (or fail) when their products hit the toughest road conditions on earth.

Chapters

0:00 Intro — China, Russia and a “household quarrel”
0:55 China’s real auto strengths vs Russia’s gas-car imports
1:25 Russia’s climate, 4x4 demand and inventory clearance theory
2:31 From joke to scandal — setting up the corrosion story
2:38 Russian media backlash and the Lamar anti-corrosion report
3:38 2025 tests — 17 Chinese brands and early rust
4:04 Siberian taxis, salt, and corrosion in real-world use
4:50 Why rust comes faster — steel quality, coatings and wax gaps
6:43 Inside doors and under the chassis — where corrosion really starts
6:49 How Chinese manufacturers respond — coatings, sealants and redesigns
7:46 Complaint data improves as post-2023 models upgrade
8:53 Drainage design, salt residue and brand-by-brand divergence
9:25 Russia tightens standards — 12-month tests and 1000-hour salt sprays
10:08 New inspections, extreme cold testing and weak plastic parts
10:44 Rising prices, better materials — and the future of Chinese cars in Russia

Tags

China, Russia, Chinese cars, Russian car market, car corrosion, winter roads, auto industry, sanctions and trade, Russia Ukraine war, Great Wall Motors, BYD, Geely, vehicle rust problems, global supply chains, industrial policy, cold climate testing

Keywords

Chinese cars in Russia corrosion, Russian winter roads car rust, China Russia auto industry tensions, Chinese gasoline cars vs European brands, Lamar 2025 anti-corrosion report, Russian media complaints about Chinese cars, galvanized steel vs cold rolled steel, Great Wall Chery BYD Russia market, Russian standards bureau inspection 2024, Siberian taxi rust stories, salt spray testing 1000 hours, Russia raises taxes on Chinese cars, quality gap among Chinese car brands, industrial learning in harsh climates, sanctions Western automakers exit Russia