Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev visited the Stadler Kazakhstan plant in Astana, where he was briefed on the localisation of CHARME passenger car production and the development of the domestic manufacturing base.
The car bodies are made from extruded aluminium profiles. The next stage of localisation envisages using aluminium produced in Kazakhstan, which is expected to expand the processing of domestic raw materials and increase the share of locally made materials in finished products.
The Astana plant is Stadler’s second production site in the world, after Winterthur in Switzerland, to manufacture bogies. Localisation is part of the transfer of the Swiss company’s technological expertise and manufacturing experience to Kazakhstan.
CHARME passenger cars were designed for Kazakhstan’s climate and can operate at temperatures from -40 to +45 °C. Their bodies are more than 3 metres wide, up to 4.7 metres high and over 26 metres long. The maximum operating speed is 160 km/h, and their service life is 40 years.
Shakkaliyev stressed the importance of applying international standards in passenger car manufacturing. He said these should guide domestic manufacturers in improving product quality and production processes and aligning them with international requirements.
The first Stadler passenger cars began operating on the Astana–Almaty route yesterday. Passenger Transportation JSC has accepted more than 100 cars to date. The contract provides for the phased delivery of 557 passenger cars by 2030, followed by maintenance services.
