KAMAZ to supply Gazprom with 500 buses for shift personnel and workshop trucks of new model range
RELEASE
Release
A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Sergey Kogogin, Director General of KAMAZ, took place today.
The parties discussed issues pertaining to their cooperation. In particular, the meeting addressed the creation of new models of motor vehicles for the needs of Gazprom.
It was highlighted that a prototype of a new bus for shift personnel, namely, an all-wheel drive KAMAZ-6250, was custom-made by KAMAZ for Gazprom. Among the distinctive features of the prototype is its cryogenic fuel system that runs on liquefied natural gas (methane). If needed, the vehicle can be equipped with a fuel system that runs on compressed natural gas or diesel fuel. The prototype of KAMAZ-6250 was presented at St. Petersburg International Gas Forum 2022.
It is planned that KAMAZ will use this model to develop a KAMAZ-62501 mobile workshop truck for the needs of Gazprom.
Alexey Miller and Sergey Kogogin signed the Agreement of Cooperation for the supply of a new range of all-wheel drive models by KAMAZ to Gazprom.
According to the document, in 2023–2025, KAMAZ will produce and in a stepwise manner deliver to Gazprom's subsidiaries 420 buses for shift personnel of the KAMAZ-6250 model and 80 mobile workshop trucks of the KAMAZ-62501 model.
Most vehicles will be natural gas-powered and adapted for operation in the Far North.
Background
Gazprom carries out extensive work to develop Russia's NGV market. For instance, Gazprom has agreements with the largest automakers to include natural gas-powered models into their product lines.
In June 2015, Gazprom and KAMAZ signed the Agreement on strategic areas of cooperation for the wider use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel.
In March 2022, two agreements of cooperation were signed between Gazprom and KAMAZ. The documents envisage the creation of new vehicle models, including natural gas-powered ones, and their managed maintenance.
With the support of Gazprom and VTB Bank, the KAMAZ-Master team created the gas-fueled KAMAZ, a special model of a sports truck powered by natural gas. The project's goal is to demonstrate the benefits of using natural gas as a vehicle fuel in the challenging conditions of rally marathons.