GAZ Group has launched mass production of its LNG-fueled bus to be marketed as LiAZ-5292 LNG. It is the first serial large city bus powered by liquefied natural gas in the Russia market. The new bus was first successfully tested in Chelyabinsk last autumn and is being tested now in Saint Petersburg.
LiAZ-5292 LNG is eco-friendly. It is powered by a fuel-efficient YaMZ-536 engine. The fuel is stored in an LNG tank at 19 atm max. The bus can make a journey of over 300km on a 375L tank of liquefied natural gas. With the new technology the fuel is supercooled to -160°С and is made insensitive to the ambient temperature. The LNG tank is in the rear part of the body for quick and easy access for maintenance without removing the tank.
The new modification is designed to carry 111 passengers and has all the best features of the basic version, e.g. low floor, big standee space, kneeling system tilting the body towards the doors for easier passenger entry and exit. The bus comes with an AC system, USB charging ports, a video surveillance system, an ERA-GLONASS emergency response system, route indicators and running message displays. LiAZ-5292 LNG has a mechanical wheelchair ramp for easy access for low-mobility people, wheelchair spaces and driver call buttons.
Use of natural gas fuels helps reduce fuel costs compared with gasoline and diesel. Besides it is one of the greenest fuels, indeed. GAZ Group is a leading Russian manufacturer of gas-fueled vehicles. Today, GAZ Group’s lineup of CNG vehicles includes all types of buses, commercial vehicles, and specialty vehicles based on them. Before the start of serial production each model undergoes lengthy tests to ensure safety and reliability: at test sites, in difficult terrain, in test operation on real routes. GAZ Group has partnerships with leading gas equipment manufacturers, which in combination with the full test cycle and cutting edge production technology delivers great reliability of the products.
SOURCE: GAZ Group
