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| On Thursday, the capital’s akimat hosted a briefing by Astana LRT LLP on the topic of purchasing electric buses for public transport in Nur-Sultan. |
| During the briefing, representatives of Astana LRT LLP and SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP spoke about the purchase of electric buses, their technical characteristics, cost, benefits for the capital's public transport. Chairman of the Board Astana LRT LLP Bekmyrza Igenberdinov began his speech by congratulating the residents of the capital on the fact that public transport users will soon have 100 new electric buses. “We will have 100 new electric buses in our capital. This means that we will reduce the shortage of buses and update the rolling stock with new comfortable, silent buses. The interval will be significantly reduced, which means the waiting time for buses at bus stops will also be reduced.", said Igenberdinov. Igenberdinov also noted that electric buses are purchased through DBK-Leasing JSC (national leasing operator) as part of the State program to renew the bus fleet with domestically produced equipment. The leasing term is 7 years with an interest rate of 7% per annum. «This is the minimum rate for leasing transactions in Kazakhstan. What is noteworthy is that leasing financing will be carried out in tenge, which guarantees stability in modern realities“, noted Igenberdinov. According to the head of Astana LRT LLP, the implementation of this project will increase cash receipts to the local budget through tax payments and create additional jobs, both in the production of buses and during their operation. Of particular importance is the environmental friendliness of the purchased buses, as well as the efficiency of their operation, which will allow bus fleets to save about 80% on fuel alone in comparison with a diesel counterpart. Also speaking at the briefing was a representative SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP Roman Krivopalenko. He spoke about the technical characteristics and advantages of Yutong electric buses. Yutong has chosen the path of equipping electric buses with high-capacity lithium batteries, which allows them to increase their driving range without recharging. The design allows the bus to be charged only once a day - at night. This approach will significantly reduce investments in infrastructure. In February of this year, the First Bus Fleet of Nur-Sultan carried out test operation of a domestically produced electric bus. Testing was carried out at the lowest possible temperatures for winter (~ -38℃). Electricity consumption amounted to 0,91 kW per 1 km. Moreover, SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP, together with the Atyrau bus fleet, carried out tests in the climatic conditions of the western region, and also tested electric bus batteries during operation over long distances along the route Nur-Sultan - Kostanay - Nur-Sultan. Based on the test results, the electric bus showed positive results. Also, as part of the testing, the necessary equipment for the electric bus was formed and all the necessary conditions for operation on the city routes of the capital were taken into account. When choosing a supplier, an analysis of the global electric bus market was carried out. For example, the minimum cost of a French 12-meter electric bus Heuliez Bus GX 337 Electric starts from 460 000 euro or German MAN Lion's City E, where the cost starts from 580 000 euro, German Mercedes eCitaro, where the cost starts from 510 000 Euro. Also, it should be taken into account that electric buses differ in the type of batteries and their volume, which directly affects their cost. Another important factor when choosing a supplier was that he be a domestic manufacturer; at the time of the announcement of the competition, June 28, 2019, the company SaryarkaAvtoProm LLP with an electric bus met all the necessary requirements Yutong ZK6128BEVG worth (146) 712 333 for 1 unit, which at today’s exchange rate is about $388 thousand. By the way, in the production of these electric buses the level of localization ranges from 27-32%; the plant itself produces the electric motor, attachments, and interior parts. Yutong buses are environmentally friendly, maneuverable, comfortable for passengers, and also meet all international quality and safety standards. The 12-meter buses have a low-floor design and are equipped with a lithium-iron-polymer battery with a power reserve of 350 km. Battery life is 10 years. The warranty on the battery is 7 years, on the electric motor - 5 years. For comfortable use of the electric bus, additional equipment was determined in the form of an improved configuration of the electric bus, which ultimately affected its cost. A list of necessary systems and components was added to the basic package, such as: installation of electronic fare payment systems, dispatching, video surveillance, information, installation of a winter kit (double glazing, insulated floor, interior heating system consisting of 9 heaters), heating and insulation for batteries , intelligent battery management system at low temperature, etc. |
| Public Relations Service of Astana LRT LLP 577-177 (ext. 180) a.jarkimbekova@astanalrt.com |