Russia Announced Her First Electric Vehicle Hybrid

The Russian automotive industry is not one that is totally familiar with the green changes towards electric vehicles and other models that have been sweeping other countries throughout Europe or the world. In fact, historically, there has never been much to say about the automotive industry as a whole. In past decades car models tended to be outdated while time was spent updating other facets of transportation and a great deal of Soviet automobile designs never made it much farther than the Soviet Union’s own borders. Since the fall of the Soviet Union there has been work in revitalizing the domestic automobile industry with even recent plans for a nearly twenty billion dollar stimulus investment being planned by Vladimir Putin earlier this year. Now, however, Russia is ready for her first hybrid car.

In a joint announcement between Russian automobile manufacturer YAROVIT Motors and financial company Onexim Group, the E-Mobile (or Yo) electric vehicle hybrid was unveiled to the world. Mikhail Prokhorov, the thirty ninth richest man in the world and head of Onexim Group, is the man behind the financial move that led to the creation of the E-Mobile. The vehicle is being seen by many as one way of working towards President Dmitry Medvedev’s plan to move Russia’s economy away from reliance on fossil and carbon based fuel sources. The E-Mobile is expected to see a full distribution sometime in 2012 after an investment of around $200 million is made towards the construction of a production and assembly plant for the new car.

While exact details are slim on the technical aspect of the E-Mobile electric vehicle hybrid some information was announced during the unveiling. The E-Mobile is intended as an electric and gasoline or natural gas hybrid that will allow the vehicle to extend its gas mileage to around sixty seven miles per gallon and it is said that it has a top speed of approximately eighty one miles per hour. In the announcement Prokhorov also said that the E-Mobile could have a potential range of around 680 miles. Currently, the E-Mobile is expected to cost around $14,500 once it hits the market in Russia. While the initial model is an electric vehicle hybrid car with two doors there are two other models that are being planned for the system that would allow for five person passenger van and a cargo van.

With the E-Mobile model ready to hit the market in only one short year this could be the jumping off point for the development of other electric vehicles in the Russian market. Considering the financial backing that could go into the project with Mikhail Prokhorov at the helm, one would hope that some of those rubles could be used towards further development in the industry.

Article by Richard Cooke, appearing courtesy Justmeans.