Deputy Sergey Ponomarev raised the urgent issue of smog in Almaty and demanded the development of a three-year program for the gradual transition of all taxis to electric vehicles. Bektenov, in response to his request, pointed out that this process is complex and depends on infrastructure and economic factors.
“The transition to electric vehicles puts a significant load on the power grid, as charging an electric vehicle takes 40–60 minutes. Moreover, the city already faces an electricity shortage, and there is also a lack of infrastructure for charging electric cars,” the Prime Minister's response stated.
He cited the experiences of China, the Netherlands, and France. In these countries, the transition of taxis to electric vehicles is supported by the government through subsidies, tax benefits, and the development of charging stations. For instance, drivers are provided with subsidies of up to 6,000 euros for the purchase of electric vehicles.
“Thus, the development of a three-year program for the gradual transition of all taxis to electric vehicles is premature,” Bektenov noted.
In Almaty, 664,806 vehicles were registered in 2024, of which 567,758 operate on mixed fuel (gasoline-gas), 60,466 on diesel, and 7,875 on electricity. In 2025, Almaty plans to develop measures to reduce emissions, including working with taxi owners.
Earlier, Bektenov also stated that the main source of smog in Almaty is vehicles, as reported by Kursiv. According to estimates, the city emits 189,012.1 tons of pollutants annually.