In the context of sanctions and a break in supply chains, even domestic Russian car brands are intensively looking for spare parts for their usual components. So, this week AvtoVAZ announced About the release of special versions of Lada “where some critically important imported components will be replaced by alternative solutions.”
AvtoVAZ has more than once simplified the design of its vehicles due to the shortage of parts, especially since autumn 2021, some of the vehicles are coming off the assembly line without the ERA-GLONASS emergency response system. According to the Lada Online portal, since March 1, Lada Niva Urban has been using fabric instead of combined seat upholstery. In the Granta modifications for the fall of 2021, the manufacturing technology of the door trim and side air vents has been simplified.
The release of the most affordable Granta in the AvtoVAZ line was suspended more than once last year due to problems with the supply of ABS blocks to the German Bosch. The same company supplies fuel equipment for the plant, Bosch businesses in Samara and other regions went down this week.
In this regard, AvtoVAZ will have to switch to a backup production plan – the release of some models with non-environmental Euro-2 engines. About this socialbites.ca said The author of the Russian Auto community, Sergey Tsyganov, referred to insider information at the factory. According to that,
such machines could roll off the assembly line in Togliatti in May.
KamAZ can follow the same path, starting from the beginning of April, Chelny Automobile Plant will begin to ship K3 generation trucks with Euro-2 environmental class engines to dealers, report “Vedomosti”. In this context, Kommersant has previously written that the government may soften the requirements of domestic automakers in terms of exhaust toxicity.
Some unpatriotic
UAZ Patriot vehicles are equipped with Bosch anti-lock brakes, a gearbox and a transfer case from the Korean brand Dymos and an automatic transmission from the French Punch.
According to Autoreview, when production began in 2005, Patriot had only 20% of imported components were localized, but less than 50% by 2013.
At the same time, the Vedomosti newspaper wrote that as of 2020, the degree of domesticity of UAZ vehicles is estimated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade at 2,216 points, with a minimum of 3,200 points allowing participation in public tenders. The company itself reported that the experts of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant are intensively looking for alternative suppliers.
“Work continues actively to find options for import substitution.
And we hope that very soon we will be able to reveal official details, ”an UAZ representative told socialbites.ca in response to questions about what options and systems the plant’s products could lose.
socialbites.ca contacted the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade with questions about whether Russian automakers will get the right to produce cars without anti-lock brakes, currency stabilization and airbags, as well as plans to reduce environmental requirements for cars,
The ministry declined to comment.
Independent automotive industry consultant Sergei Burgazliev says the search for alternative suppliers of automotive components and the incorporation of their products into the production process can take from several months to a year. Surely there will be simplifications, in Lada cars can primarily affect electronics, including active safety systems, parking sensors, multimedia, climate control.
“It is also possible to simplify the fuel system,” says Burgazliev in an interview with socialbites.ca.
The expert adds that the entire auto industry still has problems with the shortage of semiconductors, in addition, the question is whether Renault (controlling AvtoVAZ) will allow local installation of components that are not included in the global supplier pool. He states that the process of adding a new supplier to the pool takes up to a year.
In the case of UAZ, electronic and imported gearboxes, fuel system elements may also require alternatives. GAZ Group, which already has experience in the sanctions regime, will have to negotiate an alternative for diesel engines from the American company Cummins, equipped with Gazelles, or for domestic production.
Among Russian automakers, GAZ will be the auto expert Igor Morzharetto, who is most easily adapted to the new reality.
“Equivalents of European components for GAZ cars are available in Turkey and China – they are not indispensable. Now there is a restructuring of logistics chains for China, Malaysia and other countries.
I hope we get through it and we don’t have to give up on options like air conditioning and ABS,
Morzharetto discusses it in an interview with socialbites.ca.
The source knows that at the moment changes have been made to the technical regulations “On the safety of wheeled vehicles” that allow deviations from environmental and safety standards.
European engine components, including pistons and rings, are slightly easier to replace than electronics – find a Chinese equivalent or go on to manufacture your own.
“I think in 3-4 months everything should be resolved – if the situation does not return to normal in other ways,” Morzharetto says.
socialbites.ca turned to AvtoVAZ with questions about which of the more important components and assemblies can be removed from the equipment of vehicles as part of work in the new conditions; No response was received from the editors at the time of publication. The same questions remained unanswered in the GAZ Group.
Source: Gazeta
