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Artist Breathes New Life Into Ukrainian Flagship LAZ Bus With an Electrified Vision

There's nothing wrong with dreaming. As a matter of fact, most of everything humans have created in this world started out as nothing more than a dream. Well, today's dream will be a modern spin on a backbone vehicle of the Ukrainian and Soviet societies, the LAZ bus.
LAZ Bus 24 photos
Photo: Andrey Avgust
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Back in 1945, a bus manufacturing plant opened in Lviv, Ukraine. The first few years didn't bring much notable action but later revealed their most stand-apart model, the LAZ 695, a bus whose design is still used today. It's considered the first bus design to feature a lowered floor, like the one you may take to work or around town daily.

Like most other buses in the world, the years brought multiple facelifts, but overall, it's reported to have been kept in production for a whopping 46 years. Yup, that'll deem a vehicle worthy of countless subsequent conceptual designs and spinoffs.

History lessons aside, the design before you today is an exploration of this timeless brand from the mind inside Andrey Avgust's head. While this designer's Behance page doesn't show the full extent of his works, the few projects showcased reveal an excellent and stylish eye.

\?\?\? 695\-\? Bus
Photo: Andrey Avgust
This version of LAZ is a spin on another project completed by Andrey, the 695-N, a design and render project based on LAZs built in the 1970s. However, the electric design we have before us looks so dang good I just had to bring it to light.

Imagine you live in a city that uses electric buses; maybe you do. Now, imagine yourself at 7:30 in the morning, half-asleep, coffee in hand, and see this little bugger shining in the morning light. How would you feel?

The first thing your eyes will process is a large see-through cabin completed mostly from glass panels and some framing that give the bus its shape. Nearly every glass panel has a particular curvature, depending on where it's applied.

New LAZ Bus Dashboard
Photo: Andrey Avgust
The windshield is the most warped piece, but that's common even in older buses. Best of all, the lower half of the cabin is see-through, too, meaning you can witness the driver working the pedals. The only panels on the body that aren't transparent are a piece found at the rear and the roof.

Speaking of the driver's cabin, it's here we can see Andrey express his creative genius. Why? If you take a close look at the images in the gallery, you'll witness a redesigned dashboard consisting of nothing more than a few tablet screens and buttons.

Sure, nothing out of the ordinary so far, but Andrey mentions that this "workspace" can be moved around and set up to the driver's liking. The buttons I mentioned are also programable; drivers on different shifts can customize their instrumentation panel. A steering wheel is just a steering wheel; nothing is out of the ordinary here.

New LAZ Bus
Photo: Andrey Avgust
So you've gotten on the bus, paid your fare, and awakened by a dashboard that makes you wonder if you should switch your career choice to bus driving. Now what? Well, head towards the bus's rear, set down any oversized luggage you may have in one of three cargo bays, and have a seat on leather cushions paid for by your tax dollars. Heck, it looks like LED lighting has been integrated into the flooring.

Since Andrey makes a few mentions of this bus's specs, we know that it's been designed to be 9.5 m long and can fit 20 sitting passengers. Standing, 60 human souls can enjoy silent and electric power. Ok, maybe you'll hear a high-pitched, almost incomprehensible whine from the motors, but that's about it.

This design is, as I mentioned, just a concept, but I just wish it wasn't. Honestly, I'd wake up early in the morning to catch a ride on this all-glass LAZ, a vehicle where every inch of my exposed skin can be warmed up by the sun's rays. In my dream, this bus even has solar panels on it.

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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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