Remember those colossal trucks rumbling through city streets? CJSC Yarovit Motors built them. Right here in Saint Petersburg.
CJSC Yarovit Motors wasn’t just any automobile plant. It was a significant player in Russia’s heavy vehicle industry. Founded in 2003 it occupied the site of the old Leningrad Metal Plant. Yarovit Motors specialized in assembling and modifying trucks and road tractors. These weren’t your average delivery vans. These were massive multi-axle behemoths designed to conquer challenging terrains and harsh weather conditions.
Yarovit Motors primarily used chassis from the Dutch company Terberg. They then transformed these chassis into three distinct families of vehicles: Gloros Dogmus and Ordex. Each family offered different cab configurations and applications ranging from dump trucks to timber haulers. The plant had the capacity to produce up to 500 trucks annually. However its production numbers remained far lower. Only 20 trucks were assembled in 2007 and only 19 in 2008.
Beyond heavy-duty trucks Yarovit Motors had ambitious dreams. In 2010 they unveiled the concept of an affordable hybrid city car. This E-mobile as it was called was envisioned as a series circuit hybrid. It was to be lightweight weighing under 700 kg. It promised impressive fuel economy 3.5 liters per 100 km. and a remarkable range of 1100 km. Billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov even supported this innovative project.
Unfortunately the story of CJSC Yarovit Motors ended abruptly. In 2014 a bankruptcy petition was filed. Production ceased. The plant’s once bustling activity fell silent. The ambitious hybrid project faded into history. The legacy of Yarovit Motors stands as a testament to both ambition and the challenges faced in Russia’s automotive sector. But even in its short life it left a mark on Saint Petersburg’s industrial landscape. Remember the name CJSC Yarovit Motors. A story of big trucks big dreams and an ultimately unfinished chapter.