The bidirectional V853000M Metelica vehicle has been designed specifically for the CIS region and will operate in ambient temperatures ranging from -40 to +40oC.

The 26.7m-long vehicle will accommodate up to 250 passengers, 58 of them seated, and has a maximum speed of 75km/h.

The prototype Metelica has covered more than 10,000km since it arrived in the Russian capital in February.

Samara is Russia's sixth-largest city and operates a 161km tram network with a fleet of around 450 vehicles. The city is due to host matches during the 2018 Fifa World Cup and plans to introduce new LRVs in time for the tournament.