OREANDA-NEWS. January 9, 2008. A decision has been taken to create a unified trolleybus production chain at LiAZ, taking in the whole production cycle, thus helping to reduce vehicle production costs, the GAZ Group press service reported.

The new unit will be capable of producing 500 trolleybuses per year, with the possibility of subsequently increasing production to 1000 vehicles per year. From 2008, up to two trolleybuses will be assembled at the unit daily. The extensive range of trolleybus models available means that customers can choose a combination of price and quality that is just right for them. The main competitive benefits of LiAZ trolleybuses are the large number of options available and the high level of vehicle quality, which is the result of a highly-mechanised body welding process, anti-corrosion treatment featuring the complete submersion of the body, high-quality painting in a stationary painting complex, and the use of a conveyor process for assembling the vehicle sets. They are also well suited to use in fleets consisting of both buses and trolleybuses, because the high level of similarity of the body with that of LiAZ buses allows city public transport operators to make savings in terms of both costs and human resources. So that the trolleybuses can be subjected to obligatory testing on the premises of LiAZ, an overhead contact system will be set up, which will commence operation in May. The test circuit will be 700 m long.

By opening the trolleybus production facility at LiAZ, the GAZ Group has created a full public transport product line (buses of all classes and designations and now trolleybuses as well), thereby offering Russian cities a full spectrum of products to meet their transport needs.