Iskra in the Sun: AvtoVAZ Conducts First UV Tests for New Lada Model

AvtoVAZ, in the process of preparing the release of the new Lada Iskra model, conducted tests of vehicles on a solar radiation simulation stand for the first time. A special chamber simulates six years of operation in regions in southern Russia with the car stored in open areas.

The lamps on the stand heat the air around the car to 40 °C, and the car itself to 80 °C and above. The "solar" tests resulted in adjustments to the design of plastic elements in the exterior and interior, which also increased the durability of the Lada Iskra.

The full set of tests simulated intensive operation of the Lada Iskra for 150,000 km of mileage or six years of operation. Corrosion resistance tests were carried out in a salt spray chamber and salt fords, where the bodies were frozen and thawed.

Preliminary calibrated incisions were made to the metal on the body elements. Tests of the station wagon and sedan were carried out for 11 weeks, simulating adverse conditions with the presence of sea air, reagents, and industrial emissions on the roads.

Also, 28 cars passed tests in the amount of 150,000 km during reliability tests. The runs took place in fords, on a factory test site and gravel roads, cobblestone tracks, simulations of city streets with various irregularities, and in a dust tunnel.

Periodic car washes were also simulated — at a high-pressure car wash and from a simple garden hose. AvtoVAZ noted that the volume of Iskra proving ground tests was the most diverse in the history of Lada development.

Read more materials on the topic:

• Стали известны доходы от утильсбора на транспорт в 2026 году в России
• Продажи новых китайских автомобилей в России превысили 3 млн единиц
• Стала известна цена российского электромобиля «Атом»