On the fourth of June, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov visited KAMAZ: different models were put up for him, starting from the very first truck and ending with cars of the promising K5 series.
Among other things, the guest took a ride behind the wheel of a brand-new KAMAZ electric bus: perhaps Kazan will also be transferred to this transport.
Although the KAMAZ press information refers only to the electric bus (which is already well known to Muscovites), one of the photos shows a piece of the frame of an unusual truck, it looks like it is also electric. We haven’t seen this before.
We started searching and found beautiful pictures that I took (by accident?) in the shop during the visit, the photographer of the official press service — not of KAMAZ, but of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
So, we have two electric trucks in front of us, and something can already be said about them. Cabs-Mercedes, from the Axor model, but this is, of course, not the main thing. On both sides of the frame, you can see large traction batteries and the typical high-voltage orange wiring for such machines. You know where I’ve seen this before? On Mercedes actros electric trucks!
And even twice went on them as a passenger in 2018 and this spring.
KAMAZ people are clearly following in the footsteps of their shareholder Daimler (which owns 15% of the shares of KAMAZ PJSC) and it is logical that they use not only its ideas, but also the same components.
For example, the hub covers clearly show that the electric KAMAZ is the same as on eactros trucks, the ZF AVE 130 electric transport bridge, where the electric motors are located near the hubs (but this, as we have already written, is not a motor wheel). By the way, the same bridge, only with a beam turned 180 degrees, is equipped with electric buses of GAZ and KAMAZ brands, which are working with all their might in Moscow.
So, the other components are unified with the current electric buses? We consulted with experts, but they did not confirm our guesses: according to them, the Russian company Drive Electro batteries with Toshiba cells are installed on KAMAZ electric buses in Moscow, but they look different.
So, apparently, the opposite is true: the components that are tested on these electric trucks will be completed with electric buses of the next generation.
Among other details, we can mention two expansion tanks and a radiator behind the cab (which means that the batteries have liquid cooling).
Two blocks below, possibly traction converters for each of the electric motors. And on the side, on the protective bar, you can see a red button for emergency disconnection of the electrical system and a black socket for charging.
The characteristics are probably traditional for “Europeans”: charging is at night, the power reserve is from 100 to 200 km, and electrical equipment consumes several tons compared to its diesel counterpart. Not only Mercedes has such cars: DAF, MAN, Volvo, and Renault build them individually. Even the last fortress, Scania (its representatives have always been against electric trucks, claiming that hybrids are more profitable), recently fell — Scania announced a three-year contract for the delivery of 75 such vehicles to Norway at once.
From all this, we can conclude that KAMAZ did not make a revolution in the electric car business, but it follows the leading European manufacturers. And before the Mercedes shareholders are not ashamed.
