PARTICIPANTS OF NGV RALLY AT KAMAZ

22 September 2021

Today, on September 22, a delegation of participants in the Blue Corridor – Gas Into Engines rally have arrived at KAMAZ. During their visit, a seminar "Mainline vehicles and special equipment using liquefied natural gas (LNG), prospects for the development of LNG infrastructure" took place at the site of the Russian top truck manufacturer in the morning.

The large delegation includes representatives of state authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan and subordinate institutions, heads of PJSC GAZPROM, OOO Gazprom gazomotornoye toplivo, Gazprom transgaz Kazan LLC, OOO Gazprom SPG Technologies, JSC NOVATEK, PJSC TATNEFT and other enterprises, as well as drivers participating in the rally, bloggers. During the visit, the guests will get acquainted with production technologies and new KAMAZ gas-powered trucks.

The business program began with a visit to NP KAMAZ-Autosport, the home of the KAMAZ-master sports team. In the morning, the conference hall hosted a seminar "Mainline vehicles and special equipment running on liquefied natural gas (LNG), prospects for the development of LNG infrastructure". The top managers of KAMAZ PTC, OOO Gazprom gazomotornoye toplivo, OOO Gazprom SPG Technologies, JSC NOVATEK, PJSC TATNEFT, Natural Gas Vehicles Association and other enterprises spoke at the seminar.

Eldar Adeev, Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan for the Petrochemical Complex, spoke about the development of production, sales and use of LNG in Tatarstan. Roman Lanikhin, Head of the Gas Vehicle Fuel Marketing Department of the Department of Gas Infrastructure Development and LNG Marketing in the Domestic Market of PJSC NOVATEK, Nikolay Gratsesko, Deputy General Director of Gazprom gazomotornoye toplivo for Commercial Affairs, and other managers announced plans to organize production and create a network of LNG filling stations. Vasily Zinin, Executive Director of the Association of Gas Vehicle Fuel Organizations "Natural Gas Vehicle Association", spoke about the main measures to expand the use of LNG as a gas engine fuel.

Yevgeny Pronin, Director for NGVs of the company, made a presentation entitled "Gas-powered KAMAZ trucks powered by LNG is a new era of road transport". Welcoming the guests, he emphasized that the event was unique and efficient because all the participants of the NGV market had gathered on one site.

“An integrated approach that allows consumers to operate NGVs efficiently and without risks lays ground to the transition to the use of NGV fuel in transport. This approach requires the collaboration of all market participants. Thus, manufacturers provide the supply of vehicles with the necessary characteristics and in the required price range, organize service and training of consumer personnel; leasing companies offer optimal terms for the acquisition, and fuel suppliers offer acceptable prices for fuel under long-term fuel contracts and an affordable refueling infrastructure,” said Evgeny Pronin. “Thus, NGV have confirmed their viability and efficiency, being a full-fledged alternative to diesel to date. There are all conditions for widespread use of gas as a motor fuel. The key challenge at this stage is to overcome consumer prejudices that are currently holding back the process."

Eldar Aminov, Director for Product Policy of the company, also spoke at the event about the operation of KAMAZ LNG trucks and shared the analytical results of their utilization. KAMAZ NGVs are being very well sold on the market. The gas-powered fleet numbers about fifteen thousand vehicles and buses. And, in the past two years, the demand for purely gas vehicles and LNG vehicles has been growing.

In the afternoon, the members of the delegation will visit the engine plant to see the R6 engine assembly line, the cylinder block processing line and the R6 engine cylinder head processing line. In addition, the participants of the NGV rally will be shown the company's finishing production. The guests will see the cab assembly conveyor and the main assembly conveyor of the automobile plant. The program of the delegation's stay at KAMAZ will end with a visit to the building of gas-cylinder vehicles and negotiations on cooperation prospects.

KAMAZ PTC can produce 8,000 gas vehicles and 2,000 gas buses per year. High performance is achieved due to the fact that gas engines, vehicles and buses are manufactured in a single process flow side by side with diesel vehicles. Only gas equipment is installed in a separate building. Gas-powered vehicles and buses for KAMAZ PTC are already common serial products. The company produced its gas line just like its diesel trucks. Gas-powered KAMAZ trucks get both CNG and LNG engines.

The rally of NGVs started in Miass on September 13. The vehicles are to finish at the 10th Anniversary St. Petersburg International Gas Forum scheduled to be held from October 5 to 8. This year’s rally, for the first time, holds congress events at the sites of the Russian top NGV manufacturers.

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