Overview: January 2026 EV Import Figures

Azerbaijan imported 108 electric vehicles with a combined value of $3.3 million in January 2026, according to data published on March 17, 2026 by Report.az, citing the State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan. The figure represents a 22% drop in volume and a 50% drop in total value compared to January 2025 — a sharper fall in value than in units, indicating a shift toward lower-cost models.

The data covers imports from five countries: China, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan — the last of which appeared in Azerbaijan’s EV import statistics for the first time in 16 years.

China Remains Top Supplier — But Volumes Fall

China remained Azerbaijan’s largest source of imported electric vehicles in January 2026 but recorded a significant decline. Imports from China totalled $1 million in value — down 54% year-on-year — with 59 units shipped, a 21% drop in volume compared to the same month in 2025.

China’s dominant position in Azerbaijan’s EV market is well established. During the first ten months of 2024, Chinese-manufactured EVs accounted for a 77% share of Azerbaijan’s total electric vehicle imports. In 2024 overall, Azerbaijan imported 15,471 hybrid and electric vehicles from China valued at $396 million — a vast increase over the 4,636 vehicles worth $154 million delivered in 2023. The January 2026 contraction follows a broader pattern of month-to-month volatility in a still-developing market rather than a structural reversal of China’s dominant position.

United States Up, Germany Collapses, UK Holds Steady

Among other suppliers, the United States was the only country to record growth in both value and relative performance. US shipments reached $627,000 — up 15% in value year-on-year — though the number of vehicles actually declined 19% to 26 units, suggesting a move toward higher-value American EV models.

Germany posted the sharpest decline of any established supplier. Imports from Germany fell to $603,000 — an 81% drop in value — with volumes falling 48% to just 13 units. The United Kingdom recorded a strong performance in relative terms, with imports reaching $875,000 and the number of vehicles doubling year-on-year to two units — though the absolute scale remains very small.

Uzbekistan Enters: A First in 16 Years

The most structurally notable development in the January 2026 data is the appearance of Uzbekistan as an EV source country. Azerbaijan imported four electric vehicles worth $70,200 from Uzbekistan — a modest volume, but significant because it marks the first time in the past 16 years that Azerbaijan has sourced electric vehicles from its Central Asian neighbour, according to available official foreign trade statistics cited by Report.az.

Uzbekistan’s emergence as an EV exporter reflects the country’s growing role as an assembly and re-export hub for Chinese-made electric vehicles under joint venture arrangements. Several Chinese EV manufacturers — including BYD and Chery — have established localised production or assembly operations in Uzbekistan, giving those models a new trade origin for regional exports.

Context: Azerbaijan’s EV Market and Policy Background

Azerbaijan has pursued active EV adoption policies since 2019. Imported electric vehicles are exempt from value-added tax, and since 2022, customs duties on batteries and charging equipment have been eliminated. President Ilham Aliyev signed a further decree in January 2026 encouraging the use of electric-powered vehicles, with state energy companies directed to expand charging infrastructure nationwide.

The country’s largest single EV deal remains the $60 million agreement between Baku-based SARDA Group’s subsidiary Electrify Azerbaijan LLC and China’s BYD, signed in mid-2024. Under that deal, 160 electric buses were brought to Azerbaijan for a pilot programme — with units deployed during the COP29 climate conference in Baku in November 2024. BYD is also building an electric bus assembly plant at the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park, expected to produce 200 buses annually with local component content reaching 40% of assembly costs by 2030 and creating 600 jobs.

Despite January’s weaker import figures, Azerbaijan’s total EV import trajectory since 2021 has been sharply upward. In the six years from 2017 to 2023, Azerbaijan imported just 4,236 EVs in total. In 2023 alone, it imported 3,102 electric vehicles worth $125.3 million — 36 times the volume recorded in 2021.

Why This Matters for China EV Exporters

Azerbaijan’s January 2026 import data highlights both the resilience and the month-to-month fragility of Chinese EV export flows into the South Caucasus. While China remains the dominant supplier by volume and value — accounting for 59 of 108 units imported — the 21% decline in Chinese EV shipments in a single month signals that Azerbaijani buyers are exercising more selective purchasing patterns.

The entry of Uzbekistan as an EV source country adds a new dimension. As Chinese manufacturers expand assembly operations across Central Asia to circumvent tariff pressures in Western markets, Azerbaijani importers may increasingly source Chinese-branded vehicles through regional intermediary hubs — a trend that would reduce China’s direct export figures without reducing Chinese brand presence in the market.

For buyers in Azerbaijan looking for competitively priced Chinese electric cars, the January data confirms that supply channels are widening and that government policy continues to actively support EV adoption through tax exemptions, charging infrastructure investment, and new presidential directives.

Sources

• Report.az — “Azerbaijan starts importing electric cars from another country” — March 17, 2026
• News.az — “Azerbaijan to encourage use of electric-powered vehicles” — January 2026
• OilPrice.com — “China Dominates Azerbaijan’s Electric Vehicle Market” — March 2025
• Eurasianet — “Commentary: Addressing China’s growing electric vehicle footprint in Azerbaijan” — March 2025
• The Hague Research Institute — “Plugged into the Future: The China-Azerbaijan Electric Vehicle Partnership”