Why is Ukraine buying up thousands of this type of car?
With the rising price of gasoline due to the war with Russia, these cars are much cheaper to maintain
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing protracted war have led to serious repercussions, especially economic ones, worldwide.
One of the countries most affected is Ukraine, where the price of fuel has soared to levels that are difficult for civilians to afford, and as a result they are being forced to leave their cars in the garage.
As such, Ukrainians are exploring more economical options and many are opting to purchase damaged electric vehicles in the United States at an affordable price.
These crashed vehicles are repaired and put back on the road at a fairly low cost. Ukrainian mechanics are taking advantage of the opportunity to acquire vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 for between €20,000 and €25,000 ($21,516-26,896), although at auctions bids for some examples have come in at just under €1,000 ($1,075).
The favorite: Tesla Model 3
These damaged cars are then transported to Ukraine, where they are repaired at low cost and put back up for sale.
Vehicles that are unsalvageable are also used for other purposes, particularly their batteries, whose cells are reused for scooters or military-purpose drones.
According to data from the Ukrainian Automotive Market Research Institute, 2,914 used electric vehicles were sold in 2017. In 2023, this figure rose to 22,748, mostly of foreign origin, along with 5,711 new electric cars.
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