automotive news
The first “Komtrans” was organized in 2000 and brought together 21 participants: it was on the Khodynka field; in the middle of the puddles and among the still “uncut” metropolitan greenery, far from the most famous manufacturers there were exhibitions of commercial vehicles. However, the following year Volvo, Ford, Scania and Pirelli were also among the participants. Komtrans is now a large-scale event attended by over 140 companies and nearly 13,000 visitors. In addition to equipment samples, a comprehensive business program was prepared for the guests, with dozens of speakers speaking on special topics. The topics overlap with the country’s largest economic forums. Thus, the theme of the panel session was “Move to the East”, which was evaluated in terms of the use of new transport corridors and markets in international road transport. The exhibition hosts many meetings, events with the “highest” composition, new brands and, of course, a lot of automotive innovations. As the largest distributor of commercial vehicles of Gorky Automobile Plant, Likinsky and Pavlovsky Bus Plants and other domestic manufacturers, CTT alone organized 19 exhibitions, 16 of which were for the first time.
So one of the premieres of the exhibition was the Sobol NN 4×4, an all-wheel drive minibus that is still in demand among the public, even in the last generation of obsolete years ago. Now this is a modern machine that we have specially developed with a subframe, gearbox and an original front module with independent spring suspension, a new direct drive transfer case, planetary reduction gear and electronic control of the rotary washer. . Both cross axle differentials are equipped with locks. Already from the factory, the car has a front power protection of the engine with a radiator and a rear towing device with two lugs for attaching the cable. The Sable NN 4×4 will be sold in two trim levels: All-Road with minimal change in appearance, and Off-Road and mud tires with an expanded equipment package that includes electric bumpers with winch attachment points, additional protection for the snorkel and transmission elements.
How registered Viktor Pushkarev, Deputy Head of Analytical Department of Avtostat agency, said that light commercial vehicle sales in 2023 may remain at last year’s level and amount to 75.3 thousand vehicles. According to him, the positive dynamics in the comtrans market will continue until the current needs in transportation as a result of the anti-Russian sanctions are met.
The specialist noted that the further development of the market will depend on the pace of recovery and development of the Russian economy.
Therefore, it is likely that one more novelty will be in demand on the market – Gazelle NN with a robotic gearbox. For many years, Russian motorists dreamed of such a car, installing Japanese “automatic machines” on the main domestic truck, which gave its name to the entire car class. And all in order not to squeak your foot on the clutch pedal in traffic jams. The automatic transmission was developed by domestic experts, and the series consists of a single-plate clutch, as well as a mechanical box equipped with special electric actuators. According to the manufacturer, this design allows you to have a car that does not require manual gear shifting, without sacrificing fuel efficiency, which is important for commercial vehicles.
Nearby there is a new “Ambulance” based on the “Gazelle NN”. It was created with the direct participation of doctors in the emergency and emergency medical care station named after him. LIKE. Puchkov city of Moscow. The interior of the car has a modern design and is arranged for maximum convenience for patients and doctors, including resuscitation procedures on the road. A pneumatic rear suspension is installed to increase the smoothness of the ride, reduce debris on rough roads and reduce the body height when loading the stretcher into the vehicle.
Another variation on the theme is a caravan based on an all-metal van of the same model, but now it has a maximum size (L4H3), which allows you to get enough useful interior space. The caravan has a shower, dry closet, kitchen unit, independent heating, air conditioning, electricity and water supply, as well as solar panels. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with an external mount for transporting bicycles, a retractable awning over the front door and a set of portable furniture for outdoor recreation.
drone and electric truck
You can also see promising developments for various industries at the fair. For example, engineers of the Gorky Automobile Plant together with NNSTU. AGAIN. Alekseev has created an autonomous electric transport platform designed to operate at airports, cargo warehouses, ports and workshops in production. Under the control of the sender, the drone solves logistics problems in automatic mode, creating a three-dimensional map of the route. It is equipped with radars, lidars, cameras and navigation equipment that allow you to automatically identify various traffic situations while driving, adjust the route to avoid obstacles, or stop to let traffic pass. In the event of an emergency, the dispatcher will know this immediately and, if necessary, will be able to remotely correct the course and ensure a safe maneuver. The platform can lift up to one tonne of cargo.
A pair of transport platform is a universal vehicle for delivery services SDV 3.5 (Smart Delivery Vehicle), the first low-floor electric cargo vehicle in Russia. It is built on a versatile platform capable of producing modular vehicles of various lengths and payloads. An electric version with a length of 5.5 m and a load capacity of 1 tonne, driven to the front axle and a range of up to 200 km is presented at the exhibition.
The cars will be equipped with intelligent driver assistance systems such as omni-vision system, blind spot monitoring, reversing assistance and lane departure control. On-board electronics allow you to integrate the car into the ecosystem of the market company and remote monitoring of the car, including control of technical parameters and movement routes.
According to the Russian Electronic Communication Association, quoted vedomostiIn 2022, the Russian courier delivery market grew by 24.5%, reaching 1.7 trillion rubles in volume. At the same time, almost half (47%) of online sales came from in-market sales; this may be indicative of the demand for cars for such services.
Exhibited at the exhibition is not only machines, but also Nizhny Novgorod Trucks, a new automaker that will produce the Valdai heavy-duty vehicle series.
Currently, it includes three models, such as the Valdai 45, a truck tractor for long-distance transport. It is designed to operate as part of a road train with a gross weight of up to 45 tons and is equipped with a 470 hp engine, latest generation robotic transmission and pneumatic rear suspension. All wheel brakes are disc brakes. Two fuel tanks with a total capacity of 840 liters provide a cruising range of up to 3,000 km. With an interior height of 190 cm and an almost flat floor, the cabin is equipped with a refrigerator, climate control, a spring-loaded driver’s seat, storage compartments, a 230x88cm bed and insulation specially designed for the Russian Federation.
Also presented was the Valdai 33, a construction dump truck with a 6×4 wheel arrangement, adapted to work both on asphalt and on technological dirt roads. The car is powered by a 400 horsepower diesel engine and is largely combined with the Valdai 45 main tractor in terms of cabin. “Eighteenth”, a universal road chassis with a 4×2 wheel formula and a gross weight of 18 tons, will be offered in three different wheelbase options with two and three-seater cabins and pneumatic or leaf spring rear suspension options. . Superstructure – any according to the wishes and needs of the customer.
The Comtrans-2023 exhibition consists of dozens of booths with hundreds of interested people, far from wandering professionals, who have the opportunity to evaluate not only well-known models, but also premieres. The Russian commercial vehicle market has been restructured according to the new operating conditions, and domestic manufacturers certainly have something to offer.