Movement without stopping

Driverless tram and electric bus with combined charging: we found out what machinery will soon appear on Belarusian roads

The recent INNOPROM. Belarus International Industrial Exhibition in Minsk became a platform for the première of a large number of novelties. BKM Holding, the leading Belarusian manufacturer of ground electric transport, presented the T811 tram in its actual size, decorated in the livery for Krasnodar. The main components, including electrical equipment and tram bogies, have been designed and manufactured in the holding. Such trams are already operating in Belarus’ Mozyr, Minsk and Vitebsk, as well as in Russia’s Krasnodar, Barnaul, Samara and Nizhny Novgorod. Soon the manufacturer will delight consumers with more new products.

Innovations for the masses 

To begin, it is worth noting that over the past two years, BKM Holding has released five new models of vehicles. In 2023, it launched the serial production of a fully low-floor tram car, which has already become popular with Minsk residents and visitors to the capital. An important detail is that the tram consists almost entirely of components from the Union State of Belarus and Russia. The degree of localisation in it is 93 percent.
In the extra-large vehicle class, an 18-metre electric bus has been manufactured with a drive range of 240 kilometres and overnight charging. The Minsk-based enterprise was the first to manufacture such a vehicle, and it is now successfully operated in Saint Petersburg.
This year, the holding company launched the serial production of the three-section tram model T856. It has passed all types of certification tests and is being supplied to Nizhny Novgorod. Three units out of 26 under the contract have already been manufactured. “The three-section tram is a high-capacity vehicle; it carries more than 250 passengers. We very much hope that Minsk will also consider using such trams for transporting passengers to the Severny Bereg [Northern Shore] multifunctional residential complex — a rather remote area. We are in negotiations about this. A road is being built there, and we would like there to be tram tracks. Such a tram will accommodate almost twice as many passengers as an articulated electric bus. This is a very significant advantage,” noted Oleg Bytsko, Deputy General Director for Innovative Development at BKM Holding.
In general, the overhead contact line is a rather costly affair — because of this, some cities abandon trolleybuses. Maintaining and operating the contact network and substations is expensive. “We will make a tram that, like a trolleybus, will be able to travel about 20 kilometres on batteries with the pantograph lowered. We plan to release the tram next year,” revealed Oleg Bytsko.

Electric is the height of fashion

Among the new products that the enterprise began producing in 2025 is an electric bus with combined charging. “Its special feature is that it is a vehicle with combined charging, meaning it can be charged both at an express charging station and with a charging pistol. This is a fairly new solution for both our company and the customer,” shared the Deputy General Director.
The enterprise has completed the development and production of a prototype suburban electric bus for the Belarusian nuclear power plant and will supply four units of vehicles to the customer by the end of this year. This is also a completely new product. It is being developed, among other things, for supply to the Russian market. “This electric bus can be manufactured with a drive range of 100 to 250 kilometres, depending on the customer’s wishes. It takes into account all the new requirements that are imposed on electric buses and buses for suburban routes,” added the Deputy General Director.
BKM Holding is actively working on the Eurasian Electric Bus project. “We are a participant in this project, and we are constantly looking for partners who could become manufacturers of components and accessories for our machinery and, accordingly, increase the share of components in the EAEU. To date, we have selected about five companies that could be suppliers of components for the electric bus. These include enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Armenia,” said Oleg Bytsko.

Autonomy as a priority

Furthermore, BKM Holding, in collaboration with Russian and Belarusian counterparts, is actively involved in the implementation of unmanned technology.
“Next year, we aim to offer a tram with an autonomous drive range of up to 20 kilometres and an enhanced level of unmanned operation. Such a project has already been implemented in Moscow. The initial steps for an active driver assistance system have already been taken in Minsk on 20 trams. The first level of the ADAS system is in place, which means recognition of objects, people, traffic light signals and a speed limiting function. We are working to achieve full unmanned operation and ultimately launch an unmanned tram. Mozyr is currently being considered for testing and experimentation, as this is where this idea can be implemented most quickly,” emphasised the Deputy General Director.

  

Co-operation in action

Today, the Belarusian manufacturer’s electric transport is supplied to 90 cities in 15 countries. Importantly, the degree of product innovation has reached 77.5 percent, which requires considerable investment in production preparation. Another focus is on localisation. In the face of the ongoing sanctions pressure, the emphasis is placed on co-operation with Russian partners. Thanks to this, the component base in trolleybuses and electric buses has increased significantly. In the latter, the cells for battery production are currently of imported manufacture, but the situation may soon change.
Last month, BKM Holding and Rosatom’s fuel division signed a roadmap for developing co-operation in the field of traction batteries at the World Atomic Week international forum in Moscow. It outlines steps for the supply of Rosatom’s lithium-ion batteries for electric buses manufactured by BKM Holding, and plans to organise the assembly of traction batteries from these cells at the plant in Minsk.
The signing of the roadmap opens a new stage in the development of co-operation between Belarus and Russia in the field of environmentally friendly transport. This will bring together experience and technology, develop research institutions, create new jobs and increase the competitive advantage of Belarusian electric transport.

By Vladislav Sychevich