We investigate corruption, uncover fake news and analyze the news agenda. The BIC is a member of the global network of investigative journalists.
Our journalists are the recipients of the national award “Free Word” from the Association of Journalists of Belarus in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. At "Free Word" 2021 BIC’s team also received first place for Analytics
BIC is a member of the OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project)
We are also members of GIJN (Global Investigative Journalism Network)
“One in four drivers has switched.” How ONT inflated the popularity of electric vehicles in Belarus
Statistics show that electric vehicles account for approximately 1.5% of the country’s passenger car fleet.
In early January, a segment on the ONT program “Kontury” about changes to duty-free import rules claimed that one in four drivers had switched to eco-friendly transport. The Weekly Top Fake team compared this assessment with data on registered electric vehicles in Belarus and the total number of passenger cars. We discovered that the state-run television channel significantly exaggerated the popularity of electric vehicles.
Context:The Eurasian Economic Commission has extended the duty-free import of electric vehicles into Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan until the end of 2026. This decision does not apply to Russia or Kazakhstan. In Belarus, the updated incentives will take effect on Jan. 22, but with certain changes. While the previous rules applied to both electric and hybrid vehicles, the new policy covers only pure electric cars.
A segment on the ONT program “Kontury” regarding the changes awaiting Belarusians starting Jan. 1, 2026, reported on the popularity of electric vehicles.
“Two updates concern the import of electric vehicles into the country. Previously, Belarusians were allowed to purchase EVs without paying customs duties. The average savings for an owner — 9,000 rubles — served as a strong incentive. One in four drivers has switched to eco-friendly transport,” the broadcast reported on January 4, 2026.
At the beginning of last year, just over 3 million passenger cars were registered in Belarus. If we assume there is an equal number of drivers in the country, then "one in four" would represent more than 700,000 people. However, according to Belstat data, the actual figure is significantly lower. At the beginning of 2025, there were 25,000 passenger electric vehicles in the entire country. By December 1, that number had reached 47,000. This accounts for only 1.5% of all passenger cars in Belarus.
Even if we assume that ONT was referring only to drivers who purchased cars in 2025, the figures still do not add up. According to data from the Belarusian Automobile Association (BAA), the share of electric vehicles and hybrids in total sales reached 18.4%. Thus, the claim by ONT that “one in four drivers has switched to eco-friendly transport” is not supported by the data.
