By the early sixties, the Special Design Bureau of Plant them. AND A. Lihacheva completed basic work along a family of cross-country vehicles Zil-135. Finished equipment went into the series and became the basis for several special military vehicles. Soon there was a proposal for a new all-terrain vehicle, having an electric powertrain. Working through the issue, SKB ZIL created several prototypes. The first of these is known as the unofficial name of the ZIL-157E.
15 July 1963 the USSR Council of Ministers decided to begin the development of a promising ultra-high-road car wheel, with an electric drivetrain. By creating such a sample it was planned to involve different organizations automotive and electrical industry. A leading role in the new program was to play SKB ZIL headed by VA. Grachev. This project organization has had great experience in the field of all-terrain vehicles, and also has operating time on electric transmission.
In August of the same year SKB ZIL formed the technical requirements for a future prototypes. The lead designer of the new project was appointed AI. Filippov. Development of electrical equipment for all-terrain vehicle decided to entrust the State pilot plant number 476 name F. E. Dzerzhinsky (later renamed the Moscow aggregate plant "Dzerzhinets"). Lead designer of the new transmission became VD. Zharkov. Promising project has received the official designation ZIL-135E.
Experienced all-terrain vehicle ZIL-157E on tests
It should be recalled, by that time ZIL SKB has managed to complete the TN. helicopter launcher 9P116 for airmobile operational-tactical missile complex 9K74 / Mi-10RVK. This machine is actually built around a cylindrical container for the rocket, and therefore equipped with electric powertrain. Motor-wheel launcher had to receive power via the cable from the helicopter carrier. Some ideas for unusual items 9P116 planned to be used in new projects. Furthermore, to new vehicles should go and some of its components.
Before starting to develop a full-sized all-terrain vehicle, it was decided to test the electric transmission on smaller prototypes, built on the basis of the serial truck. At the beginning of summer 1964 year SKB ZIL began to design such a prototype-electric, which became the basis for the truck ZIL-157. curious, the first prototype to the electrical units and has not received the official designation. He went down in history under the unofficial name of the ZIL-157E, which can lead to confusion. The thing is, that the letter "E" was designated as an export version of the serial truck ZIL-157.
As part of the "trial" of the project engineers of the Special Design Bureau had to make to the design of the original ZIL-157 minimal changes, allowing for the desired test new units. In this way, new model sample was possible to repeat the basic machine design, but carry a certain set of special units. All these tasks were successfully solved, and brought the car to the landfill, looks a little different to the basic truck. Model sample were given only some elements of the running gear and especially the layout.
The basis of the model sample still lying rectangular frame made from metal profiles. In the front part of the driver's cab, which was placed in front of the engine hood. Directly behind the cab, at the former place of the spare wheel, were the fuel tank and batteries. Rear cargo chassis ground surrendered by the installation of box body rigid structure. Experienced Zil-157E had a custom layout. Apparently, from under the hood to cabin staff removed the power unit. The engine and electric transmission elements were now to be in the van. Such their location simplifies the operation and maintenance of experienced units.
In the van placed a gasoline powerplant, built on the basis of the engine Zil-375. Motor developed the power to 180 hp, and its torque is delivered directly to the generator shaft GET-120, generates direct current power 120 kW. Through the current control devices via cables fed to traction motors driving wheels. Application of electric power transmission means of the main motor for traction allowed to abandon the existing manual transmission. Model sample lost all drive shafts, transfer case and some other devices. Also, the most notable changes were undercarriage.
In the initial configuration truck Zil-157 had triaxial chassis 6x6, built on the basis of a dependent suspension bridges. When building a new model sample available Front Axle, generally, retained its structure. As earlier, He was suspended on longitudinal leaf springs and had wheels controls. At the same time now it was not fit driveshaft. Wheel formula cars changed to 6x4.
Rear drive axles with elastic suspension were removed. Instead, on the electric ship frame installed additional power components, to which is integrally attached lean-wheel motor, borrowed from a launcher 9P116. The wheels of new design equipped with traction motors DT-22 and two-stage planetary gears. Electricity was supplied to each engine through a cable, placed outside the chassis. The cables coming out of the sides of the van and went down to the wheel hub.
Chassis retained existing central pressure control system Tire. With it, the driver can change the pressure in the tire and wide-thereby modify the characteristics of permeability to different surfaces.
Application of the new transmission has led to the need for specific controls. Steering system prototype remains the same, but to monitor the performance of the power plant and transmission are now offering other instruments. The driver can control the operation of the main gasoline engine, as well as control parameters of the four electric motors. In this way, the number of toggle switches and levers in the cockpit noticeably increased. Like a serial machine, experimental ZIL-157E had no amplifier in the steering system.
By the cab and the body does not impose any special requirements, and because the model sample ZIL-157E came with a standard serial units. It was to preserve the existing all-metal cabin with three seats, heater and opening windows. Access to the cab provides the usual pair of side door.
To accommodate the power plant to use a metal box body closed type. In its front wall had a pair of side vertical openings for air supply, necessary to improve ventilation and cooling of the engine. two pairs of windows were also present in the sides and stern doors. maybe, in the van could be seats for engineers, monitor the work of a gasoline unit.
Relatively simple design of the experimental machine was developed in the shortest possible time, and 25 June 1964 Plant them, workers. Likhachev began mock-assembly. The main units of the machine are now made Zil, and electrical components come from the factory №476. The widest use of ready-made components for a positive impact on the timing of execution of works. Already 20 July of the same year veteran ZIL-157E went to test and lapping base plant named. Likhachev near the village Chulkovo Ramenskoye district of Moscow region. There planned to carry out the necessary tests and to establish the actual characteristics of the prototype.
Unfortunately, most of the information about the test mock-ZIL-157E unknown. The results of this "auxiliary" project lost against the background of the ZIL-135E of the main program. Nevertheless, some data on inspections of the first truck with electric transmission preserved, while others can be set on individual facts.
From the available information should be, that tests of ZIL-157E on different routes and in different conditions continued for several months. There is reason to believe, that the machine was checked on highways and dirt roads, as well as all sorts of off-road. With the onset of cold weather prototype tested on virgin snow. In this way, Chassis-based motor-wheels, It is powered by a gasoline power unit, It showed all its features and capabilities in a variety of settings.
Mockup of the ZIL-135E, built on the basis of developments on the ZIL-157E
According to reports, electric ship with the unofficial name of the ZIL-157E during the test proved to be not the best way. deficiencies have been identified structure, interfere with the normal operation of equipment. Besides, some features of the existing machines could interfere with obtaining the desired characteristics and capabilities.
Subsequent events show, that the idea of an electric powertrain is justified. Besides, a bunch of well-proven in the form of gasoline engine ZIL-375, GET-generator 120 and the traction motors DT-22. these units, already proven in previous projects, They confirmed their performance and were soon used in the construction of new machines. Wherein, but, could present problems with a used wheel chassis. Triaxial series truck chassis, received 6x4, simply could not realize the full potential of electric transmission. Two rear drive axles could not cope with the tasks assigned to them, and front wheel drive missing. Incomplete actuator certain way reduced the mobility and permeability model sample on rough terrain.
However, accurate information on the results of tests of ZIL-157E in the context of technology and features not available. In most available sources indicate that only, that model sample "did not meet expectations" - without any clarification. easy to see, that in its technical appearance, this car really could not show the characteristics at the level of production of ZIL-135 all-terrain vehicles with conventional propulsion, and mechanical transmission.
Not later than the first few months 1965 , the designers of the Special Design Bureau of Plant them. Likhachev analyzed data, collected during the recent tests, allowing them to continue to develop a full-fledged off-roader. probably, some test results ZIL-157E impact on those or other technical characteristics of the future shape of the ZIL-135E. In this part of already defined features of this machine could remain unchanged.
Over the next few months SKB ZIL plant in collaboration with №476 working to further develop the existing electrical transmission. New results of work in this direction was the model sample of ZIL-135E. Subsequently, based on the waste of ideas and solutions to create another cross-country vehicle with electric units, are even higher rates of mobility and maneuverability.
After passing the required tests, model sample with the unofficial name of the ZIL-157E was no longer needed for their creators. His fate is unknown, but we can assume, that the machine was rebuilt by one of the existing or future projects. Experienced electric ship could make a prototype of a new project or return to it original configuration of the truck. Anyway, rover mockup at some point ceased to exist.
The aim of the project auxiliary ZIL-157E was to test some ideas and solutions, proposed for use in the development of high-grade ultra-high-road machines. During the tests a prototype built has shown how the pros, and cons of its design. He's allowed to collect the necessary data and improve the already developed the main project. Despite its secondary role and not the outstanding test results, electric ship ZIL-157E had an impact on further work and fully coped with the tasks assigned to it.
Based on materials:
http://gvtm.ru/
http://denisovets.ru/
https://trucksplanet.com/
http://kolesa.ru/
Kochnev ED. Secret cars of the Soviet Army. - M.: Jauza, Eksmo, 2011.
Danilov R. G. electric ship. // Equipment and armament, 2014. №7.
Author: Kirill Ryabov
used photos: State Military Technical Museum / gvtm.ru, Kolesa.ru
