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The first presentation of a unique KAMAZ-6561 (Hercules) articulated dump truck designed for autonomous quarrying took place at the international exhibition COMTRANS 2021 in Moscow.

The non-public presentation of the Hercules took place at the end of June, and it is the first time when the general public and potential consumers have access to this dump truck. The vehicle is mainly designed for transportation of bulk cargo off-the-highway. It can also be used in quarrying and mining, as well as in unmanned mineral extraction. This is possible due to a 5-level ADAS system on board, which provides autonomous driving in a quarry, without a driver. The dump truck can also be operated both remotely and by the driver from the cab.

The truck is made as a “series hybrid”, which means that it is an autonomous electric vehicle that does not require recharging from an external network. The combustion engine drives the electric generator which powers the traction motor and charges the battery. The series hybrid occasionally runs on pure electricity with a charged battery and is thus very close to an electric vehicle. The KAMAZ-Hercules vehicle recovers its energy by running down into the quarry, and this energy accumulated in batteries helps the loaded truck by climbing up the mountain. This solution reduces fuel consumption by 15% against that of diesel trucks.

KAMAZ designers made the cab of the dump truck as comfortable and safe as possible. It features an on-board computer, a monitor, several buttons to switch driving modes and to control unloading, and its reinforced cab protects the driver in case of a rollover. The driver can use a large number of outdoor devices too. There are outer sensors, radars, lidars, video cameras making the vehicle almost a robocar.

The dump truck is 10,120 mm long, 3,430 mm wide, and 4,030 mm high. The curb weight of the chassis reaches 31 tonnes, while the carrying capacity is up to 40 tonnes. The maximum travel speed is 50 kph.

“The Hercules will soon be tested in the quarry of a mining company. Testing will last from three to six months,” said Sergey Nazarenko, Chief Designer of Innovative Vehicles at the KAMAZ Scientific and Technical Center. “The experts will assess fuel efficiency, towing and dynamic performance, weight and dimension characteristics, one-filling diesel fuel capacity, electric range, truck capacity, minimum swing radius, visibility, ergonomics and motor vehicle performance. With test results on our hands, we’ll modify the truck, and then transfer the Hercules to Ural Mining Metallurgical Company (UMMC) for trial operation in Bashkortostan.”

According to Sergey Nazarenko, this dump truck serves as the basis for the development of new versions. For example, the market is waiting for its diesel version KAMAZ-6558 the sales of which are scheduled for 2024.

The Russian automaker KAMAZ and the French-Swiss engineering group GreenGT consider jointly developing hydrogen-powered trucks and establish a more effective framework for long-term business cooperation.

KAMAZ, Russia’s top forward-thinking truck maker, and GreenGT, Switzerland’s pathbreaker in the design and development of high-power electric/hydrogen systems for transportation and motor racing, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop hydrogen-powered electric industrial trucks.

Today KAMAZ and GreenGT are demonstrating a 44-tonne testbed truck with a 170 kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two batteries generating 85 kW each. There are two versions of this sample vehicle with 12 and 6 large hydrogen tanks, with a total storage capacity of about 45 kg of hydrogen. This zero-emission 570 hp vehicle has a 500 km range and can be recharged in less than 15 minutes. The prototype presented in Moscow is a 6×2 version based on the KAMAZ chassis. The fuel cell system was developed fully by GreenGT.

This prototype vehicle is the first step towards the pre-series production of vehicles to be assembled in France and Switzerland for the largest European logistics and distribution companies.

The official demonstration is to take place at the transport fair in Bern, Switzerland, from 11 to 13 November 2021.

The companies both have a passion for motor racing. KAMAZ is an 18-time winner of the Paris-Dakar rally among trucks. GreenGT, on the other hand, is highly experienced in hydrogen motorsports, which is proved by its flagship projects (LMPH2G and H24) for Mission H24 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during which their prototype covered more than 10,000 kilometers on the track.

Next week, on September 7, the 16th international exhibition of commercial vehicles COMTRANS 2021 will open at the Crocus Expo exhibition center in Moscow. This year KAMAZ PTC, which is the Russian leading truck manufacturer and a permanent participant of the largest exhibition, will present about 30 exhibits, including, as usual, lots of new products.

The visitors will be able to see exhibits reflecting the major tendencies in the Russian auto industry at KAMAZ’s main stand. These are the first KAMAZ K6 truck, vehicles running on alternative fuels, including gas-powered trucks, electric vehicles, a hydrogen-powered electric bus, as well as comfortable new vehicles for passenger transportation and much more.

In 2017, the leading Russian automaker for the first time introduced the flagship truck of the K5 generation – the KAMAZ-54901 vehicle – at the COMTRANS international exhibition of commercial vehicles. Two years ago, this truck became the focus of the KAMAZ stand and enjoyed great public attention at the COMTRANS 2019 exhibition. The KAMAZ novelty has already gained popularity in the market and confirmed its high efficiency in long-haul transportation. By the way, KAMAZ-54901 will take a central place at the KAMAZ stand as a promising model this time too. In addition, following the current trends in the development of the automotive industry, the company will present a new version of this vehicle – the KAMAZ-54901 long-haul tractor with an engine running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) – at the COMTRANS 2021 exhibition.

The LNG KAMAZ-54901 truck is a development in the segment of long-haul truck tractors running on liquefied natural gas. Among the main advantages of the truck is a new promising KAMAZ R6 gas engine of 450 hp compliant with Euro 6 emission standard, a ZF automatic transmission of the new generation, a spacious comfy cab with a flat floor. The total capacity of cryogenic gas cylinders is 1,060 liters, the full-tank range of a road train is about 1,400 km. Given the current price difference between diesel and gas fuel, KAMAZ gas vehicles can halve fuel costs.

KAMAZ is actively developing the K5 line, so the company will display dump trucks of the latest generation at the 2021 exhibition. In view of the company’s development strategy launched several years ago, the KAMAZ-65951 (8×4), KAMAZ-65959 (6×6) and KAMAZ-65953 (8×8) trucks will be exhibited at COMTRANS. The KAMAZ K5 dump trucks feature a reinforced frame and reinforced drive axles meant for an axle load of 16 tonnes, a comfortable cabin on a four-point spring suspension, a three-segment metal bumper protecting the vehicle, as well as a metal screen on the headlights and radiator of the truck. The dump trucks are equipped with a modern low-consumption KAMAZ R6 engine and a new generation ZF automated gearbox.

The exhibits also include a CNG NEFAZ-5299-31-57 suburban bus, a KAMAZ-6290 hydrogen-powered electric bus, a KAMAZ-6292 articulated electric bus, a KAMAZ-53198 (Chistogor) electric garbage truck and a KAMAZ-62825 trolleybus (part of the KAMAZ electric vehicle line) with increased autonomous running, as well as a Compass 9 small-tonnage truck and other present-day models.

At the company’s outdoor exposition there is a KAMAZ-5490 truck tractor running on compressed natural gas, coupled with a NEFAZ-93348 curtainsider semi-trailer, equipped with gas cylinders with a capacity of 1,107 liters enabling to increase the driving distance of a road train, as well as a 58146W concrete mixer truck on a gas-cylinder chassis. The KAMAZ-65805 (Atlant 60), KAMAZ-65807 (Atlant 65) and KAMAZ-6561 (Hercules) trucks will be shown in the sector of ​​mining dump trucks. In addition, KAMAZ and its partner companies are to present several special vehicles based on KAMAZ chassis.