Russia has its own budget electric car

The Kaliningrad plant "Avtotor" has begun production of a pre-production batch of the new electric car class L7 (voiturettes, heavy ATVs), which will be included in the line of the brand "Amber". The main area of ​​application of the model will be urban use.


The Avtotor press center notes that the key components of the machine were developed and manufactured in Russia. In particular, this concerns battery packs, control electronics, inverter, and engine.

The model is built on a technologically independent architecture with a declared localization level of 90%. Engineers from the Moscow Polytechnic Institute also took part in the development of the project. Capital specialists worked on improving the suspension, steering and created a CAN bus.


The latter is a digital communication device for electronic system elements. Modern technologies were used in the design of the machine – three-dimensional modeling, digital twins and virtual testing. The use of these methods minimizes the need for expensive full-scale tests and accelerates the process of entering the market.

To manufacture an electric vehicle, stamping production is not required. Assembly is carried out on a light aluminum tubular frame, and polymer panels act as cladding. This approach allows to reduce the weight of the vehicle, which is extremely important for electric vehicles.

This unusual new product is aimed at the following categories of citizens:

✅ young families
✅ city services
✅ students
✅ delivery
✅ car sharing

Avtotor plans to launch full-scale serial production in the second or third quarter of this year. The approximate price tag for the electric car is indicated at a sum of one million rubles. Considering the supply of batteries on lease, the final cost of ownership of the L7 may change.

At the moment, at least three main configurations of the new product are known. The car will be presented in two- and four-seater modifications, as well as in versions adapted for people with limited mobility.


The pre-production models will soon be sent for road testing. During the tests, the engineering team will fine-tune the control system and check the performance characteristics of the electric vehicle. After this stage, the model will be mass-produced.

The exterior design has already caused a mixed reaction among Internet users. In this regard, the representative office of the company "Avtotor" has clarified that the available photos show a "mule".

The body is a modified Vesta base, which is mounted on a "trolley" with a platform and engine. The configuration is used for testing driving characteristics and does not reflect the final "appearance" car.