The automotive industry in Ukraine was established during Soviet times and, until the fall of the Soviet Union, was an integral part of the automotive industry of the Soviet Union. The first Ukrainian motor vehicle brands were established in the late 1950s.
The 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 200,000 units.
Before agreement with the EU, Ukraine's automobile manufacturers made between 100 and 200 thousand vehicles per year. The major domestic players in this industry were UkrAvto (ZAZ), Bogdan, Eurocar, Electron corporation, Etalon-Avto, KrAZ and LAZ. Locally developed designs continue to prevail in the production of trucks, buses and trolleybuses while production of domestically designed cars such as ZAZ Tavria has decreased. Most car production in Ukraine now involves assembly of European, Korean and Chinese brands.
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.Car production in Ukraine plunges by over 98% over decade, UNIAN (24 April 2018)
Brand
History
Ukrainian SSR was second Soviet republic with annual production at more than 200,000 units per year.
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).
ZAZ factory was founded in 1923. The first ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets entered production 25 October 1960.
ZAZ Zaporozhets was a series of rear-wheel-drive superminis (city cars in their first generation) designed and built from 1958 at the ZAZ factory in Soviet Ukraine. Different models of the Zaporozhets, all of which had an air-cooled engine in the rear, were produced until 1994. 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.
In 1985 ZAZ manufactured 160,000 cars.
KrAZ was founded on August 31, 1945. In 1958 first KrAZ-222 Dnipro was manufactured.
KrAZ-255 is an off-road truck 6x6 for extreme operations.
Variants include: KrAZ-255B KrAZ-255B1 KrAZ-255V KrAZ-255L KrAZ-256
In 1986 KrAZ manufactured 30,655 trucks.
LAZ was founded on May 21, 1945. In 1956 factory started mass production of LAZ-695 Lviv.
LAZ-695 Lviv — Soviet and Ukrainian middle class city bus produced by LAZ.
LAZ-695 was the first bus produced at Lviv Bus Factory in 1945. In 1949 the factory started to produce automobile wagons, trailers, auto-cranes and (experimental release) electromobiles. 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 models brought included Magirus, Neoplan, and Mercedes. The first bus engineered by Lviv Bus Factory was done in the year of 1955. The bus model underwent various modifications, but the major body composition and equipment remained the same. The most significant change from the first generation to the second (695/695Б/695Е/695Zh) was the front and rear modification.
The rear changes to the second generation 695M added a turbine air intake system with two vents in the roof, and the third generation 695Н/695НГ/695Д modernized the front end. Other variations between the generations include aesthetical changes, such as manufacturing emblems and headlight placement. The model was not faultless, (tight passenger space and frequent engine overheating in 2nd and 3rd generation models), the bus was characterized by simple construction and easy accessibility to all types of roads in Russia and CIS.
In 1988 LAZ manufactured 14,646 buses.
LuAZ was founded as Lutsk Repair Plant on September 25, 1955. First LuAZ-967 was manufactured in 1961.
LuAZ-967 was the Transporter of the Front Line, a small Soviet four-wheel drive amphibious vehicle. Light enough to be air transportable, it had a 400 kg payload over most terrain.
It was produced between 1961 and 1975 and was succeeded by the LuAZ-969В, LuAZ-969, LuAZ-969М and the LuAZ-1302.
In 1990 LuAZ manufactured 16,500 off-road vehicles.
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.
Automobile manufacturers
Bogdan
Bogdan Corporation is a leading Ukrainian automobile-manufacturing group, including several car- and bus-makers in the country. Its most popular model is the Bogdan Isuzu-powered light bus made in Cherkasy.
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. Facilities are located in Lutsk and Cherkasy.
The group was controlled by politician Petro Poroshenko; who sold his share in 2009 in connection with the collapse of its production after the 2008 financial crisis.Poroshenko, President of Ukraine, Centre for Eastern Studies (28 May 2014)Events by themes: Poroshenko family, UNIAN
Cars and trucks are produced or assembled in Cherkasy. The facilities in Cherkasy are the most modern auto-manufacturing facilities in Ukraine. Car manufacturing launched in 2000. The Cherkasy plant can produce 120 000 to 150 000 cars per year. The plant assembled Bogdan 2110, Bogdan 2111, Bogdan 2310 (pick-up) from 2009 to 2014. At the same time Bogdan started assembly of Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Tucson and Hyundai Elantra XD. In 2013 Bogdan and JAC Motors has launched CKD assembly of the JAC J5 sedan in Ukraine.
Buses are mostly produced in Cherkasy while trolleybuses are manufactured in Lutsk. The bus "Bogdan" is the most widely used small bus for city transportation in Ukrainian cities. The facilities located in Cherkasy can produce up to 3000 buses a year along with car and truck production. The plant in Lutsk formerly known as LuAZ now manufactures buses and trolleybuses branded as "Bogdan". Maximum capacity of Lutsk plant is 8000 buses and trolleybuses a year.
Bogdan Corporation was created in 1992, after the fall of the Soviet Union, by the mergers of some former Soviet enterprises to implement big investment projects dedicated to creating strong and powerful manufacturing of different-type vehicles in Ukraine. Initially, the company was a distributor of various Russian-based vehicles, later selling vehicles by Korean manufacturer, Kia Motors. In 1998, the company obtained the Cherkasy automobile repair factory that was specializing in repairing buses of the Russian-based PAZ and GAZ GAZelle. In 1999, the factory was transformed into the "Cherkasy Autobus" that began manufacturing its own buses, Bogdan. That same year, the company signed another contract with Hyundai for distribution of their vehicles. In 2000, the company bought the bankrupted Soviet LuAZ based in Lutsk (Volyn Oblast), and during the same period, started to produce its own cars based on the Russian AvtoVAZ. In 2003, the company's began exporting the buses. In 2004, the company signed a general agreement with Isuzu to use the Isuzu brand on the company's exported buses. In 2005, the company Bogdan Motors became a corporation.
In 2000, the company bought out the bankrupt Soviet LuAZ based in Lutsk (Volyn Oblast) and shortly thereafter started to make its own cars based on the Russian AvtoVAZ. In 2003, the company's began exporting the buses. In 2004, the company signed a general agreement with Isuzu to use the Isuzu brand on the company's exported buses. In 2005, the company Bogdan Motors became a corporation.
In 2013 Chinese carmaker Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC Motors) has launched CKD assembly of the J5 sedan in Ukraine.JAC expands in Russia and Ukraine with CKD production (16 December 2013)
In 2014 the company developed the 'Bars' (panther) multifunctional light armored vehicle to be used by the National Guard of Ukraine.Cherkasy car factory develops light armored vehicle, Interfax-Ukraine (16 December 2014)
Bogdan Bars-8 is based on Dodge Ram chassis.
Electron Corporation
ElectronMash plant is an up-to-date enterprise of Electron corporation, which specializes on production of special off-road all-wheel drive vehicles – trucks of multifunctional purpose, used in public services, and ambulances.
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. For the first time the project of the truck was presented on the X International economical Forum Transboarder cooperation in October 2010 and received a high appraisal of specialists, in 2012 the first public truck was produced by newly founded ElectronMash enterprise. Implementation of the project and production of Electron vehicles were realized at its own expense and on the Electron corporation production areas.
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 users of ElectronMash production are also industrial enterprises, road organizations, keepers of other urban and industrial infrastructure.
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. Among the towns of Ukraine the first consumers of the vehicles of our production were Lviv municipal services.
ElectronMash enterprise designs and produces ambulances of A1, A2, and B types, completed with necessary equipment and devices. 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.
Joint Ukrainian-German venture LLC Electrontrans was founded in 2011 by Electron corporation, TransTec F&E Vetschau UG company (Germany) and Avtotekhnoproekt LLC.
Electrontrans is an enterprise of a full-scale production, specializing in design and production of modern urban electric transport – trams, trolleybuses, electric buses, units and spare parts.
The structure of the enterprise includes design and technological bureau, mechanical and blanking, welding, painting and assembly productions.
Electrontrans production capacity allows to produce 100 trams or 100 trolleybuses / electric buses a year.
Within machine building Electron corporation an extensive program of localization (import substitution) of units and assemblies production for electric transport is realized.
Electrontrans carries out stage-by-stage launching of production of tram bogies, traction equipment control systems for tram, trolleybus and electric bus, coupler drawbars for trams and two – sectional trolleybuses and buses, independent front suspensions and other units and assemblies.
Etalon-Auto
Etalon-Auto Corporation has 1 facility in Chernihiv (ChAZ). The plants in Lviv (HalAZ) & Boryspil (BAZ) is now bankrupt.
PJSC Chernihivskyi Automobile Plant is a private (closed) Ukrainian manufacturer of buses and trolleybuses located in Chernihiv.