Moscow Tests Electric Bus with Night Charging Technology
A new KAMAZ-6282 electric bus with night charging technology has arrived in Moscow for testing. Deputy Mayor for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov reported that in three months it has traveled over 17,000 km and made more than 660 trips. The vehicle operates on express route e41, running from Zelenograd to the Khovrino metro station.
«Last year, we launched an electric bus in Zelenograd for the first time. It was deployed on a high-demand express route where over 10,000 trips are made on weekdays. Testing will continue until April of this year. Based on the test results, we will consider the possibility of purchasing such electric buses. On the instructions of Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, we continue to develop eco-friendly ground transport in the capital,» added Maxim Liksutov.
The electric bus can carry up to 85 passengers. It features media screens with stop information, USB ports for phone charging, and fare validators. According to the city«s transport department, replacing one diesel bus with an electric bus reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 60 tons per year.
Electric buses have been arriving in Moscow since 2018. Since 2022, vehicles with improved equipment have been supplied to the capital. The Moscow Department of Transport added that Moscow was the first in Russia to begin building modern electric bus depots. Today, electric buses are serviced at 12 Mosgortrans sites.
In 2022, the first electric bus depot in Russia, «Krasnaya Pakhra,» opened in the Troitsky and Novomoskovsky Administrative Areas (TiNAO). The vehicles started running routes in the Novomoskovsky and Troitsky administrative districts. A year later, the «Mitino» depot was built in the northwest. With its launch, electric buses began servicing routes in 20 city districts and two nearby cities in the Moscow Region. At the end of 2023, a third electric bus depot—«Saltykovka»—became operational. It serves routes in the eastern part of the city. In 2025, new-generation KAMAZ-52222 electric buses hit the routes, featuring a redesigned interior layout, a 15% larger storage area, space for hand luggage, and modified door design.
The low-floor vehicle is adapted for passengers with limited mobility. It is equipped with a folding ramp and buttons to call the driver, who will assist with boarding and exiting if needed. Bicycles, strollers, or large luggage can be placed in the storage area. For passenger safety, the vehicle is equipped with video cameras both inside and out.
Electric buses are developed taking into account the operating experience of earlier models and passenger feedback. The city«s orders for new vehicles support employment in the regions and stimulate the development of domestic industry, added the transport department. In the future, with new vehicle deliveries and the development of charging infrastructure, even more electric bus routes will appear in the city.
