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21.05.2013

MAZ busy designing gas fuel bus

MINSK, 21 May (BelTA) – The Belarusian automobile manufacturer OAO Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) is busy designing a bus powered by gas fuel. The information was released by OAO MAZ Deputy Commerce Director for Marketing Ilya Subbotin on 21 May, BelTA has learned.

A MAZ-203 bus powered by gas fuel will be created by September 2013. The executive noted that the company is working hard to offer new models to replace diesel engine ones. “The development of a bus that uses a gas-powered Mercedes engine is virtually over. We plan to roll out the vehicle by September,” he remarked. Apart from that, the company is working hard to offer other vehicles powered by gas fuel, including dump trucks. Their advance will depend on the availability of gas fuel infrastructure. Gas-powered buses can fit any market, but the company is eyeing Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine as promising ones. Non-CIS customers have also shown an interest. “We will position these buses to make their prices comparable with those for diesel engine ones,” said the executive when asked about the price for the vehicle.

For instance, the Russian government has passed a program to promote automobiles powered by gas fuel. In line with the program by 2020 at least 50% of the automobiles in cities with over 1 million residents will use gas fuel. The share of gas-powered vehicles in cities with fewer than 300,000 residents will be at least 30%. This is why MAZ is working hard to offer gas engine vehicles to customers.