Photo: Sergey Kachko
A scheduled running-in of the Arctic Bus under a comprehensive program of testing methods took place at the Kalachevo airfield in Kopeysk. The vehicle underwent running tests over rough terrain with steep ascents and swampy areas.
Over 10 working days, the bus traveled more than 900 km. Next to the driver was Kirill Khoroshevsky, an engineer of the Center for Vibration Testing and Structural Condition Monitoring of South Ural State University, who controlled the “behavior” of the vehicle. It successfully overcame the obstacle course, including a trench about three meters deep, one meter filled with water. No critical deviations were detected.
“During the tests, minor defects were observed, which do not take much time to eliminate. We measured, among other things, the smoothness of the ride, which affects both the well-being of passengers and the technical condition of the vehicle,” says Kirill Khoroshevsky.
Positive feedback was received from the drivers about the vehicle’s handling, driving comfort and overall experience. Sufficient visibility was noted as a significant advantage for the driver.
“Testing the chassis on a proving ground is also one of the most important stages. For example, it was important for us to find out how the vehicle would behave on low-pressure wheels responsible for off-road capability, especially when moving in difficult conditions. This is important because in the territories for which it is intended, the path often runs through swampy areas. The vehicle performed well in operation, and this technology has a great future,” says Ramil Zakirov, manager of the project and director of the Research Institute of Experimental Engineering at South Ural State University.
Before releasing the vehicle to the test site, bench tests were conducted to simulate real movement. Subsequently, the car will undergo acceptance tests at the Ural Automobile Plant, including climate tests (air conditioning, heating, etc.), noise and vibration tests on stands.
The Arctic bus is one of the main projects of the Ural Interregional Research and Educational Center for Advanced Production Technologies and Materials, which was created as part of the national project “Science and Universities” to conduct applied scientific research and development. The Center participates in developing competitive technologies and products, their commercialization, as well as in training personnel. Leading universities of the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions — UrFU, South Ural State University, KSU and others — participate in the development of the UIREC.