BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 25. Uzbekistan plans to establish production of hybrid and electric cars up to 500,000 per year, TurkicWorld reports.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a relevant decree on the implementation of an investment project for the production of electric and hybrid cars and their components in Uzbekistan on March 18.

According to the paper, Uzbekistan plans to raise the level of localization of these cars by up to 60 percent which is foreseen to create 10,000 jobs.

The authorities also aim to broaden the list of nations that can permanently export hybrid and electric vehicles to Uzbekistan, with the exception of those identified by the Joint Investment Enterprise.

Consumer protection is a critical consideration: electric vehicles and hybrids must be of excellent quality, safe, and appropriate for local weather conditions.

Manufacturers or exporters are also obliged to provide warranty service.

All automakers in Uzbekistan will have equal conditions, including receiving benefits and preferences from the state.

Earlier in 2022, Uzavtosanoat and China's BYD Auto agreed to organize full-cycle car production in Uzbekistan. Prior to that, the parties had been studying the automobile market.

On December 29, 2022, Uzavtosanoat (60 percent stake) and BYD Europe B. V. (Netherlands, 40 percent) established a joint venture BYD Uzbekistan Factory. On September 26, 2023, a project implementation agreement was signed between the government of Uzbekistan and the investor. The BYD brand has been officially introduced in Uzbekistan since the beginning of 2023.