The BAV 485 amphibious truck has six wheels. Its 6×6 layout gave the Soviet vehicle three axles and all-wheel drive, allowing it to carry loads across roads, rough ground, and water approaches.
The BAV, also known as the ZIS-485 and later ZIL-485A, was developed in the Soviet Union after World War II. Soviet engineers had received American DUKW amphibious trucks through Lend-Lease and used that successful design as a model. The first production vehicles appeared in 1952.
Although it looked like a boat-bodied truck, the BAV retained the practical running gear of a heavy military truck. Its waterproof hull provided buoyancy, while a separate propeller supplied propulsion in water. On land, its six driven wheels improved traction and helped distribute the vehicle’s weight.
A common mix-up is counting only the visible wheels on one side. The 6×6 designation means six wheels arranged across three axles, not six driven wheels per side. The BAV was eventually replaced in Soviet service by larger tracked PTS amphibious vehicles.