First Russian electric car: an automobile industry in distress?


Fred Delavie

December 21, 2023 at 2:47 p.m.

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Avtator Amber © Avtator

Russia has unveiled its first electric car and is receiving a shower of criticism ©Avtator

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has suffered the wrath of the international community, including with regard to its automobile industry. To prove that it can get back up, the Russian manufacturer Avtotor presents Amber, the country’s first electric car.

Before coming to compete with the market leaders, there may still be a very long way to go. Indeed, Russia recently presented the Avtotor Amber, its first electric car entirely designed and manufactured locally.

This project, developed in collaboration with the Moscow Polytechnic Institute, received mixed reactions due to its controversial design and production context.

Great price of ugliness

According to the Russian media RB.RUthe Polytechnic school and the manufacturer Avtotor presented the development of an L7 category electric car.

The project is currently in the testing phase, but the car, in its current state, serves as a support for the components. Avtotor has registered the Amber brand for mass production of the car, planned for 2025.

Its current design is in fact very criticized at the moment and has also sparked strong reactions on the web, thus proclaiming Amber as the ugliest car in the world. It thus dethrones the Fiat Multipla and its famous bead integrating headlights under the windshield bay.

Avtator Amber © Avtator

Avtotor presented a quad, a van, a van and the Amber electric car. ©Avtator

National production

The presentation of the Amber electric car took place at Politeh (MAMI) as part of an order from Avtotor to the university. The idea was to present a universal platform for testing electric car systems.

Previously, the Avtotor plant assembled cars for Hyundai, BMW and KIA. According to the rector, Vladimir Miklushevsky, the main objective of the project is to create a national school of automotive electrical engineering and therefore to show that the country can continue to operate its industry despite international sanctions.

All components of the Amber were developed and manufactured in Russia, but we do not know whether or not the battery is one of these components. It would not be surprising if Russia developed a partnership with China given the commercial and strategic agreements that already unite the two countries.

According to Avtotor, the car would have an affordable price, thanks in particular to the possibility of renting the battery.

Avtator Amber © Avtator

Obviously the Fiat Multipla served as a model for the Amber Avtotor. Who would’ve believed that ? ©Fiat

Certification of the first five pre-production prototypes is planned for 2024 and mass production is expected to begin in 2025.

Finally, the manufacturer has filed graphic logos for two brands – “Amber Auto” and “Avtotor Amber”.

We can’t wait to see what happens next.…

Source : Numerama



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