Izvestia: "The Yo-Mobile"
Putin names development milestones for hybrid automobile industry
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was one of the first people to test-drive Russia's first hybrid car – the Yo-Mobile. Although it hasn't yet been certified, the car can be ordered starting this month. Analysts have assessed and compared the model with similar, previous projects.
The participants of a high-technology and innovation commission meeting were finally given the opportunity to handle a high-tech project as opposed to just discussing one when technology-enthusiastic billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov presented the new hybrid Yo-Mobile. It's the hope of the national automobile industry.
Putin seized the opportunity to test-drive the car.
"I want to drive this Yo-Mobile of yours to Dmitry Medvedev's residence to show him the vehicle," the prime minister said. "Will it take me there? It's not far, about ten kilometres. It won't fall apart on the way?"
The prime minister chose the sports crossover coupe option. The five-door Yo-Mobile minivan and micro-van are also available. The short drive went smoothly. However, the car has not yet been certified.
According to Andrei Biryukov, the chief executive of Yo-Auto, a joint venture between Prokhorov's ONEXIM Group and the Yarovit truck maker, the hybrid will be crash-tested in early 2012 when the cars will be fully assembled using the final production technology.
The developers promise their potential customers a wonder car.
With fuel consumption as low as 3.5 litres per 100 kilometres, the bi-fuel system will enable the engine to run on petrol as well as gas.
Each model will have a rotary engine. It will also be equipped with super condensers that accumulate and save braking and reserve energy for acceleration and operation. This is what makes Yo-Mobile a hybrid.
A special Yo-Phone will replace the ignition, although the car only started on the third attempt during its November presentation.
The car's body will be 70% made of propylene-based composite materials.
"The car will cost less than 450,000 roubles with all the options, including four-wheel drive, climate control equipment, cruise control, Internet (available in all models) and the Glonass/GPS navigation system," Biryukov said.
The designers insist that this price is moderate.
On the one hand, they have cut costs by reducing the number of components and units. They also opted against using complex stamped or welded components, base coating or dyes.
On the other hand, it is obvious that 450,000 roubles is more than enough to buy a good foreign car instead – just take a look at the vehicles available under the government car-scrapping programme. These cars have more obvious advantages.
At this stage, Yo-Auto is looking for suppliers. The list of candidates has to be approved by the year's end. One potential partner is the Canadian Magna automobile component maker. This would be convenient because the first 10,000 car per year Yo-Mobile plant will open in St Petersburg where Magna also has a plant.
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Comments
Sergei Udalov, the executive director of the Autostat Agency:
"I would wait for the commercial production to begin before discussing the Yo-Mobile's prospects or potential rivals. In my opinion, all we have seen so far is good PR. I am not saying it is a utopia. My point is, at this stage, there is little more than words. I have no proof that the model shown to Putin was indeed a hybrid or that it really had a rotary-vane engine inside. Why? A working dummy can be assembled at a student design bureau."
Viktor Pokhmelkin, the leader of the Russian Motorists movement:
"This Yo-Mobile will have a future only if it offers an ideal price-to-quality ratio. Customers cannot be forced to buy this car. No PR campaigns will help, even if they are sponsored by top government officials. Putin drove a Lada Kalina once, but I fail to see people in Russia's Far East choosing AvtoVAZ over foreign brands. I don't know a single Russian car that hasn't started giving its owner trouble the first week of driving. There are the usual problems with service centres and available spare parts... That is, Prokhorov will not just have to implement his project from the ground up – he will have to start from well below the surface."
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New generation cars
Toyota is the world's leading manufacturer of hybrids – cars equipped with an internal combustion engine and an electric engine. Overall, it has sold more than 3 million eco-friendly cars, according to the latest data available. It produced its first hybrid vehicle, the Coaster Hybrid EV minibus, in 1997. That was followed by the Prius, which still remains the most popular model with green lifestyle advocates after three upgrades. It enjoys especial demand in the United States, where the model has been popularised by Hollywood stars.
The second largest producer of hybrids is another Japanese carmaker, Honda.
Nissan also pins great hopes on its Leaf model. Unlike the Prius, this car is only propelled by an electric engine. However, it stops when the battery discharges.
Nissan plans to begin commercial production next year, and to increase the output to 500,000 cars by 2015.
The key problem with the new-generation vehicles is infrastructure.
Japanese engineers have already developed a device that can recharge 80% of the battery in 30 minutes, but their invention has not yet gone into production. Hybrids are more convenient in this respect because they also have an internal combustion engine that runs on conventional fuel.
Anastasia Savinykh
