BelAZ to make main types of dump trucks only with Russian engines as of 2025
YEKATERINBURG. July 17 (Interfax) - BelAZ expects to replace all foreign engines on its most popular mining vehicles with Russian ones in 2025, the Belarusian truck maker's deputy CEO and CTO, Sergei Lesin told Interfax.
"This is not a fast process. We have a number of projects for which we have received prototypes and they are now undergoing performance tests. For some products there is already approval for serial production," he said.
"Essentially, when this work is done, we will completely cover needs for diesel engines for the most common products. It's quite realistic to achieve complete import substitution in this regard in 2025 if no difficulties arise," Lesin said.
He recalled that Belarus now produces mine dump trucks with capacity of 30 to 90 tonnes with engines from the Yaroslavl Motor Plant (YaMZ), a division of Russia's GAZ Group. YaMZ-240NM2 engines are usually installed on trucks with capacity of 30-45 tonnes, while YaMZ-45 engines have begun to be serially installed on trucks with capacity of 60 tonnes.
"This year we will build a prototype and deliver dump trucks for operation with capacity of 90 tonnes with a 1,000 hp engine. We will see the results next year," Lesin said.
Belarus is also working with the Kolomna plant of Russian train maker Transmashholding (TMH). An engine built there was installed on a new dump truck with capacity of 220 tonnes that BelAZ unveiled in July. The truck is now undergoing performances testing and is being prepared for serial production.
"There is already a draft contract for the delivery of 20 such engines. We should already receive a result on the Kolomna engine this year and complete performance tests by June 2024," Lesin said.
BelAZ has also signed a contract with Ural Diesel Engine Plant (UDMZ), a division of Russia's Sinara Transport Machines, for the delivery of 20 engines this year for trucks with capacity of 220-240 tonnes.
"We are now talking about trial operation, pre-serial work. We will probably have the interim results in March 2024," Lesin said, adding that a decision on serial production will be made at the end of next year.
BelAZ is also working on a project to develop an engine for trucks with capacity of 130 tonnes, but first "we'll get the results on the UDMZ DM-185, and then start designing the joint engine for the 130-tonne vehicle," Lesin said.
BelAZ also serially acquires the engines of [Kamaz Group's ] Tutayev Motor Plant for its heavy machinery, however, this plant is "quite overloaded," Lesin said. "We're prepared to work with partners on new projects, but they don't have the resources for this at the moment," he said.