Proshka from Nizhny Novgorod: what the new Russian mainline tractor got
The Valdai 45 tractor, which entered the assembly line of Nizhny Novgorod Trucks in 2023, was seriously updated almost three years later and received the "title" of Pro. Despite the fact that the truck has hardly changed in appearance, serious metamorphoses have taken place in its design and equipment. The Izvestia correspondent found out what these changes did and what else could be changed while driving a Russian mainline tractor.
An apartment on wheels
From the outside, you can distinguish the usual "45" from the "Proshka" only if both cars are standing next to each other. Externally, the novelty stands out only by a massive black "mask" of a false radiator grille with a large inscription Valdai instead of the previous company logo. If you arm yourself with a tape measure, it becomes clear that the wheelbase of a tractor with the prefix "Pro" is 200 mm larger than that of a conventional truck. Now it is 3.8 m.
The Valdai 45 Pro cabin resembles a room in a small apartment
A massive door closes three of the four steps leading to the cabin. This is a concern not only for aerodynamics, but also for the driver. The vast majority of truckers will never climb into a cab in street shoes. For them, this is the second home they live in during the flight. Many people do not even use the driver's door, climbing into the cabin through the passenger door, and change into their "home" shoes. The door extension, which covers the top three steps, allows you to leave outdoor shoes on them: door seals protect shoes standing "on the threshold of the house" from road dust and precipitation.
The Valdai 45 Pro cabin evokes strong associations with a small-sized room. An absolutely flat floor and a high roof allow even tall drivers to stand without bending down. The similarity to the apartment is added by the "mezzanines"-lockers located above the windshield and doors, two full-fledged bunks (one above the other) with thick mattresses 880 mm wide, as well as a small "chest" and a refrigerator for perishable food that can be pulled out from under the lower sleeping shelf.
There are two full-size beds 88 cm wide in the sleeping compartment.
All this splendor is somewhat lubricated by a massive console to the right of the driver's seat with a robotic transmission selector, parking brake levers and a so—called "parachute" - a brake crane with which the driver can activate the brakes only on the semi-trailer so that it does not "push" and the clutch does not "fold" when braking on a slippery road. By and large, this console itself is nothing more than a relic of the past, when no one even thought about automatic transmissions on trucks. It is clear that the lever of the "mechanics" located under the cabin cannot be removed anywhere except the floor. But since there is no rigid mechanical connection between the 12-speed robot itself and its selector, transmission control could be completely transferred to the front panel, as well as the handbrake and parachute. For many modern mainline tractors, the cabin floor has already been removed from these levers.
Cost-effectiveness and safety
The main difference between the regular Valdai 45 and the Pro version is hidden under the hood... Sorry, under the floor. The 11.8-liter turbodiesel has become more powerful by 19 horsepower and now produces 490 hp. At the same time, more importantly for a mainline tractor, the torque has also increased to 2.3 thousand. N·m (+100 "newtons"). And due to the reduced gear ratio of the main pair in the transmission by 5%, the efficiency of the truck, despite the increased power, has become even slightly better. Taking into account the increased total volume of two fuel tanks by almost a quarter (the Valdai 45 Pro is capable of receiving 1,040 liters of diesel fuel), the truck is able to travel more than 3 thousand km without refueling.
In addition to updating the powertrain, the tractor has received a number of new features that improve traffic safety. So, all the "Proshki" are equipped with the EBS electronic braking system, which adapts to specific driving conditions and automatically distributes braking forces between the wheels of the "head" and the semi-trailer, preventing the coupling from skidding (with its advent, the "parachute", by the way, becomes less relevant). The truck also has an assist system when starting downhill (the car does not roll back), a retarder allows you to slow down the truck on descents, without using conventional brakes, an emergency braking tire pressure and temperature monitoring system, and monitoring the driver's condition. Plus, there is a warning about leaving the lane, as well as an indication of the axle load (which allows the driver to control how to avoid overloading).
"Fizz" and alarm clock
"Pshaw!" — the driver's seat on the air suspension sags and rises again, adjusting to the weight of the driver. "Pshaw!" — the steering column was unlocked, allowing you to adjust the position of the leather-covered steering wheel. "Pshshh!" — this is already the driver in the tractor truck standing next to him.
The Valdai 45 Pro is equipped with an EBS electronic braking system that prevents the train from "folding".
I switch the checkpoint selector to Drive, release the handbrake ("Pshaw!" again) and the truck starts moving smoothly. Gear shifting occurs with a noticeable delay — this protects the transmission from overloads and breakdowns, especially when the tractor is dragging a loaded semi-trailer.
Before the roundabout, I slow down the truck with the usual pressure on the brake. The instructor sitting in the passenger seat grunts disapprovingly.
"There's a retarder installed here, try to slow down with it next time," he advises.
It is activated by the right steering lever and has five positions that allow you to adjust the deceleration rate in the range of 20-100%. I switch it to one click, and the tractor slows down slightly. With another click, the slowdown becomes more noticeable. After a while, you can get the hang of using the handbrake so that even on a long descent you don't need to touch the brake pedal.
"Dilin-Dilin-Dilin!" — what kind of nasty squeak is heard every 20 seconds? This is a warning to the system about a markup violation. The car takes care of the driver to the maximum: Unfortunately, truckers sleeping at the wheel are not uncommon on our roads. It is hardly necessary to say what kind of troubles a speeding loaded truck with a driver in the arms of Morpheus can cause... "Tink-Tink-Tink!" — the camera located on the windshield pillar sees that the driver's eyes are closed and turns on a loud "alarm clock".
Localization according to the plan
The Valdai 45 Pro, which replaced the regular "45th", is produced in Nizhny Novgorod. Yes, it is based on a tractor from a "friendly country from the East." However, the car can be called Russian: on the banks of the Volga, not only assembly takes place, but also welding and painting of cabins. The Valdai is equipped with domestic batteries, tires, wheels, and autonomous cabin insulation. The cabin also uses Russian insulation materials, some elements of the multimedia system and security systems.
The estimated cost of the tractor, including special leasing programs, is about 7.9 million rubles.
According to the director of production of Nizhny Novgorod Trucks, by 2030 the localization level of the tractor will be brought up to 70% — this figure has been agreed with the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
— We will start assembling the frame very soon, and its stamping will be launched by the end of this year. In addition, cars with Russian engines and transmissions are currently undergoing an active testing phase. In the future, we plan to switch to domestic bridges," he said.
A regular Valdai 45, taking into account the state leasing program, costs about 7.9 million rubles. According to representatives of the car company, the cost of the Pro version "will be about the same level."
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
