Russia Unveils “Mashunya,” a Compact Electric Street Sweeper Built for Smart Cities
A new battery-powered municipal machine is designed for quiet, emissions-free cleaning—and could eventually operate without a human driver.
Russia’s Ryazhsk Auto Repair Plant has expanded its lineup of municipal equipment with the launch of a compact electric vacuum street sweeper called Mashunya (model MK-E533-01). The name is an acronym for Universal Machine, and the vehicle is essentially a robotic street cleaner built for year-round urban maintenance, according to Promvest.info.
The key feature of the new machine is its fully electric drivetrain. That makes Mashunya quiet and eliminates harmful emissions—qualities that are particularly important for cleaning pedestrian areas, sidewalks, courtyards, and other tight urban spaces. The machine is built on a highly maneuverable chassis with an articulated frame, allowing it to operate efficiently in dense traffic conditions.
Mashunya is equipped with a suite of cameras, radars, and sensors that help the operator monitor surroundings and maintain safe operation while cleaning.
From Electric Sweeper to Autonomous City Worker
The first prototype of the machine successfully completed testing in 2025. With trials concluded, the manufacturer says Mashunya is now ready for mass production and commercial deliveries.
Looking ahead, engineers plan to make the machine fully autonomous. That upgrade would allow it to be integrated into broader smart city systems—where connected municipal vehicles operate as part of coordinated urban infrastructure.
Earlier reports also noted that trials of a transformer-style robot designed for lawn mowing and snow removal have begun in Balashikha, near Moscow. That project was initiated by the local utility management company Zhylkommunservice, underscoring a wider push toward robotic solutions in Russia’s municipal services sector.
