THE FIRST 25 electric buses produced in Moscow’s SVARZ assembly plant are being run-in and ready to go on routes, with the first 10 due for service early June, 2021, Moscow Transport (MT) announced recently.
SVARZ e-bus manufacturing workshop was conceived in 2019 with its main goal to reduce time of assembly, delivery, maintenance of transport and to save on logistics, MT states. In August, 2020, the “…project solution for reconstruction and repair” was ready, it adds.
By March, 2021, the first stage of work was completed. The modern 7000m2 plant was designed for the assembly of up to 500 electric buses per year, MT explains.
There are about 20 assembly aspects conducted at the Moscow SVARZ plant – which is about 20 per cent of the overall build work on each bus – ranging from installing doors and interior trim to equipping the e-bus with modern software that controls the components and various on-board units, MT says.
The main types of work are the setting up of all systems, the installation of ‘current’ [electricity] collectors and the e-bus traction equipment, which is the basis of each machine, explains MT. Specialists set up and check all the functionality, performance, quality, safety and compliance with the technical task, it notes.
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WHY MOSCOW?
The reason it is necessary to transfer electric bus production to Moscow mainly is the advantage in logistics, MT says.
Many expensive components are produced in Moscow and the nearest Moscow regions, so now there is no need to transport components for 1300-odd kilometres any more, MT explains.
In addition, electric buses are assembled in Moscow specifically for Moscow, which “…facilitates the process of acceptance and interaction with the branch operation services.”
Overall, the project was implemented with the support of the Moscow City Government.
“Today, Moscow is the leader in the production of electric buses in Europe,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow and head of Transport Maksim Liksutov.
“The opening of a factory for the production of electric buses in Moscow is an opportunity to quickly and efficiently develop the capital’s transport, setting a trend for other Russian and foreign cities.
“A unique feature of SVARZ is the complete absence of harmful emissions — the production is completely eco-friendly.
“The new plant will also provide Muscovites with more than 200 jobs and about 100 million rubles of tax revenue per year.
“This year more than 60 per cent of electric buses from the new delivery will be assembled in Moscow – to make trips even more convenient and environmentally friendly,” he explained.
FULL PRODUCTION
From the beginning of the assembly process to the run-in of the first samples has taken only a few months, MT states. In April, the first prototype cars were assembled. In June, the plant reaches full capacity: the production of 500 electric buses per year, or 35-40 units per month. By the end of 2021, Moscow will have 1000 “innovative machines”, which will reduce emissions of harmful substances by 86 thousand tons, MT confirms.
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Photography: courtesy Moscow Transport