Automotive industry in Ukraine
Ukrainian SSR was the only Soviet republic other than Russia manufacturing various types of automobiles and automotive parts with a former annual output of more than 200 thousand units.
The major domestic players in this industry were UkrAvto (ZAZ), Bogdan, Eurocar, Electron corporation, Etalon-Avto, KrAZ and LAZ.
In April 2018 the Ukrainian carmakers association UkrAutoProm stated that the automotive industry in Ukraine worked at only 2% of their capacity, while the output of motor vehicles was nearly 98% less than that in March 2008.
By the early 1980s, Soviet automobile industry consisted of several main plants, which produced vehicles for various market segments.
Main factories in Ukrainian SSR were ZAZ (passenger cars), LuAZ (small off-road vehicles), LAZ (buses) and KrAZ (trucks).
Since the late 1980s, the final series, 968M, was replaced by the cardinally different ZAZ-1102 Tavria hatchback, which featured a front-wheel drive and a more powerful water-cooled engine.
The initiative to develop and produce a new model of bus was supported by the government, and European samples of modern buses were brought to the LAZ factory.
The Ukrainian carmakers association UkrAutoProm stated in April 2018 that the automotive industry in Ukraine worked at only 2% of their capacity and that the output of motor vehicles was nearly 98% less than in March 2008.
The facilities of Bogdan Corporation are able to produce 120 000 to 150 000 cars, up to 9 000 buses and trolleybuses of all types, and around 15 000 cargo trucks and units of specialized equipment a year.
The group was controlled by politician Petro Poroshenko; who sold his share in 2009 in connection with the collapse of its production after the financial crisis of 2007–2008.
In 2013 Chinese carmaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC Motors) has launched CKD assembly of the J5 sedan in Ukraine.
Considering the best foreign experience, low-cargo trucks of multifunctional purpose, unique in the countries of CIS, were worked out by the designers of the enterprise.
The production of ElectronMash enterprise is maneuverable small public trucks Electron with changeable kits of attachments intended for keeping improvement facilities in a proper sanitary condition, carrying out different kinds of municipal services in the streets, pavements, parks and territories around the buildings.
The first Electron vehicles of multifunctional purpose were purchased by the largest hydrogenation Ukrainian company – Ukrhydroenergo, in Ukraine they are successfully used when servicing the territories of big hydroelectric power plants.
The main advantage of the vehicles over existing park of ambulances is that they are of-road all-wheel drive vehicles of hyper cross-country ability with diesel engines, intended for work of urgent and disaster medicine in difficult road conditions and in places difficult of access, namely, in mountain and village areas.
The structure of the enterprise includes design and technological bureau, mechanical and blanking, welding, painting and assembly productions.
Within machine building Electron corporation an extensive program of localization (import substitution) of units and assemblies production for electric transport is realized.
PJSC Chernihivskyi Automobile Plant is a private (closed) Ukrainian manufacturer of buses and trolleybuses located in Chernihiv.
With increasing demands on the buses BAZ A079, part of the production was moved to Chernihiv from Boryspil Automobile, also included in the corporation.
Welding and painting were carried out using equipment supplied by Transsystem (Poland), Chropynska Strojirna (Czech Republic), and EISENMANN (Germany).
The enlarged capacity of the Eurocar plant is full of number of technological innovations, with a flexible production process, well suited to the conditions in Ukraine.
From the very beginning company personnel involved directly in the production of vehicles have received specialized training in the Czech Republic from Skoda Auto.
[5] On April 17, 1958, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ordered the construction of a plant for heavy-duty vehicles production in Kremenchuk.
In 1961 the plant delivered for export more than 500 vehicles in 26 countries of the world - Argentina, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, China, India, Vietnam and others.
[6] After the Financial crisis of 2007–08 orders for vehicles declined drastically as Ukraine was severely effected by the event, the factory worked at minimal capacity.
Moreover, KrAZ partnered with the Canadian defense firm Streit Group to produce the Cougar and Spartan armored vehicles.
The birth of L'vivs'ky Avtobusnyi Zavod dates back to 1945 with the opening of a factory in Lvov, western Ukraine city.
When AvtoZAZ-Daewoo joint venture with Daewoo Motors was formed in 1998, ZAZ was assigned to the new company as a 50% share on behalf of AvtoZAZ.
Daewoo Motors made large investments and established the production of its own models, while keeping and modernizing the native ZAZ brand.
[19] It originated after the Korean War, when the Soviets saw a need for small off-road vehicles comparable to the American Jeep, to supplement the overly-large and -heavy GAZ-69s then in service.
