An air intake system supplies cooling air to at least one heat exchanger and includes a sieve through which the cooling air flows. The air intake system is equipped on the inlet side with a device for removing and shredding components of the cooling air adhering on the inlet-side surface of the sieve. The device is formed with a suction device and a cutting device. The cutting device is formed of comb-like elements on a surface of the sieve and on a surface section of the suction device facing the surface of the sieve. The comb-like elements disposed on the surface of the sieve are designed as knives disposed on support or knife strips oriented transversely thereto. These support or knife strips extend with separations therebetween. At least one of the support strips is equipped with first knives, the knife-edges of which implement a pulling cut, while the comb-like elements on both end faces of the suction device or of the front element attached thereto are designed as second knives, knife-edges of which implement a pulling cut.