Even before Chinese electric cars became a mainstay of the bustling streets of Tajikistan’s capital, Tolib Raufov knew they would offer an upside to taxi drivers like him.

He bought his first Chinese electric vehicle (EV) three years ago for the equivalent of $30,000, he says, and resold it last year. With that money, he was able to buy a model from BYD –- China’s leading EV maker that recently overtook Tesla in total sales –- for only $21,000. Raufov says the affordable price, strong local resale value, and savings from no longer needing to buy gas have left him with better margins than ever as a taxi driver.

“I have no regrets after buying a Chinese electric car,” he told RFE/RL. “It’s never been this profitable for me to drive a taxi in Dushanbe.”

Raufov’s experiences provide an up-close look at one of the most visible ways that China’s growing economic influence in the region is reshaping Tajikistan and the other countries of Central Asia -– Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.