KAMAZ-6355 Arktika

The KAMAZ-6355 Arktika is a four-axle articulated 8×8 all-terrain truck built for the Russian Arctic. KAMAZ developed it with Bauman Moscow State Technical University and Moscow Polytechnic University, with support from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. A prototype was shown at the COMTRANS exhibition in Moscow in 2019.

The 8×8 followed the three-axle 6×6 KAMAZ-6345 Arktika, first shown at the Vuzpromexpo exhibition in Moscow in 2017. Both trucks were developed in the context of the state programme for the socio-economic development of the Arctic zone.

Power comes from a KAMAZ R6 (910.12-450) in-line six-cylinder turbodiesel of 11.946 L (729 cu in), rated at 450 hp (331 kW) at 1,900 rpm and 2,058 Nm (1,518 lb-ft) at 1,300 rpm, to Euro 5. The engine was reportedly developed with the participation of Liebherr. It drives all four axles through a six-speed Allison 4500 automatic gearbox and a two-speed transfer case with a lockable inter-axle differential.

The truck has a two-section articulated frame and turns by bending the frame up to 45° rather than by steering the wheels. The front axles are mounted individually on multi-leaf springs, and the rear axles sit on a rigid balance beam.

Low-pressure 66×43.00-25 tyres, about 1,650 mm (66 in) in diameter and 1,052 mm (43 in) wide, keep ground pressure to 1.15 kgf/cm² (113 kPa, 16.4 psi). A narrower set about 716 mm (28 in) wide is also reported for use within road-width limits. The cab belongs to the K5 family and has a single berth, an uprated air conditioner, and heating for the windscreen, mirrors, steering wheel and seats.

A dimension drawing of the truck gives a length of 12,000 mm (472 in), a width of 3,320 mm (131 in), a height of 4,000 mm (157 in) and a ground clearance of 640 mm (25 in). The 6,112 × 2,400 mm (241 × 94 in) drop-side platform has a volume of 10.3 m³ (364 cu ft) and can carry a standard 20-ft container without twist-lock fittings. A technical table lists a gross mass of 41,480 kg (91,448 lb), a curb mass of 26,580 kg (58,599 lb) and a payload of 14,900 kg (32,849 lb), while other reports round these figures to about 40 t, 24–25 t and 15–16 t.

Behind the cab are a spare wheel, a service compartment and an Inman IM77 hydraulic crane, rated at 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) or 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) at its maximum reach of 6.8 m (22 ft). A hydraulic winch is fitted at the rear, reportedly rated at 2.5 t (5,512 lb). Two fuel tanks of 400 L (106 US gal) each are fitted.

Maximum speed is reported at 50–60 km/h (31–37 mph). The truck is designed to climb slopes of about 30° and ford water 1.8 m (5.9 ft) deep. Reports give an operating limit of −60 °C (−76 °F), with one stating −50 °C (−58 °F), and cold-start measures include a 30 kW (40 hp) pre-heater for coolant and engine oil.

An insulated living module for up to three people, with beds, a kitchen, a shower, a toilet and a generator, has been described, with autonomy reported from three days to two weeks. The prototype shown in 2019 was built with a cargo platform instead. The price was reported at 12–15 million rubles.

KAMAZ planned field tests in Yamal for summer 2021, and one report says they began in July 2021. No test results and no start of series production have been found, although a small series was expected. In 2025 the three-axle K-6345 was reported to have completed a 3,300 km (2,051 miles) run from Yakutsk to Pevek.

Related models:
KAMAZ 6345 Arktika