Volgabus

Volgabus (known as Volzhanin until 2008)[1] is a Russian automotive company located in the city of Volzhsky, Volgograd region, and includes leasing company, a distribution center, a network of dealers, and logistics center. Its products include buses, electric buses and trolleybuses. The general manager is Alex Bakulin, son of the vice-speaker of the Volgograd Regional Duma.[2]

History

The company was founded in 1993, the first five years leasing buses made by the Likinskiy Bus plant. Volgabus was the first company in Russia to manufacture low-floor buses with aluminum body and electronic control systems. Revenues in 2004 exceeded 625 million rubles. In 2005, they produced 240 buses.

In 2011 it announced the launch of a compressed natural gas-powered bus, in partnership with Gazprom.[3] In 2015 the company had revenues of 3.2 billion rubles, making it the third largest bus manufacturer in the country.[4]

In 2016 Volgabus presented a prototype of an electronic driverless bus at the Skolkovo Innovation Center, the first such vehicle to be developed in Russia.[5]

In 2024 Volgabus presented its first serial trolleybus named "Peresvet" (Пересвет) with Khabarovsk to become the first city to employ Volgabus trolleybuses.[6]

Products

The company currently produces urban, suburban, and intercity buses, and special purpose vehicles under the brand "Volzhanin", or "Volgabus" in foreign markets.

Urban buses

  • Volzhanin-32901 – small alternative to the minibus
  • Volzhanin-5270 – large bus, designed for multi-purpose use on regular routes
  • Volzhanin-6270 – one-section, large capacity bus
  • Volzhanin-5270.06 "Sitiritm-12" – low-floor bus with a body made of aluminum alloy
  • Volzhanin-6270.06 "Sitiritm 15" – low-floor city high capacity bus with a body made of aluminum alloy
  • Volzhanin-6271 "SITIRITM-18" – urban low-floor bus with extra-large capacity and a jointed body made of aluminum alloy
  • Volgabus-4298
  • Volgabus-6271 – built upon the technical requirements for Moscow; has an articulated 18-meter stainless steel body, automatic transmission and a new generation of engine, similar to the bus LiAZ 6213

Commuter buses

  • Volzhanin-32901 – small commuter bus
  • Volzhanin 52701 – large commuter bus

Intercity coaches

  • Volzhanin 52851 – designed for long-distance intercity routes
  • Volzhanin-52702 – mid-range intercity coach

Special purpose buses

  • Volzhanin-52851 VIP – designed for comfort to accommodate business trips of senior executives
  • Mobile library Volzhanin 52701 – Library bus
  • Volzhanin-6216 Invalid – intercity bus transportation for wheelchair users
  • Volzhanin-6216 Sports – sports freight and passenger bus to transport the team Motocross
  • Volzhanin-52702 Blood Service – a mobile blood collection point
  • Volzhanin-52851 Fire – Mobile fire headquarters

Literature

References

  1. ИЗ ИСТОРИИ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯ Volgabus, retrieved 18 June 2017^
  2. Тимур Хасанов. Создателя российского автопилота Matrёska завалили исками Gazeta.ru, November 4, 2020, retrieved March 6, 2022^
  3. Gazprom teams up with Volga Bus to build NGVs Ngvjournal.com, retrieved 18 June 2017^
  4. The largest Russian manufacturers of buses and trolley buses by solvency ratio Credinform.ru, retrieved 18 June 2017^
  5. Russia's first driverless electronic bus unveiled at Skolkovo Russia Beyond The Headlines, 28 October 2016, retrieved 18 June 2017^
  6. Новые серии троллейбусов: «Пересвет» для Хабаровска, «Синара» для Ярославля tr.ru, 2024-03-04, retrieved 2024-10-01^