To meet the demand for electrically powered trains on a non-electrified line, rail manufacturer Alstom will build, deliver, and maintain 11 battery-electric trains.
The Coradia Continental trains will operate on the Leipzig-Chemnitz route for German rail authorities VMS (Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen) and ZVNL (Zweckverband für den Nahverkehrsraum Leipzig).
The announcement follows the 2014 decision by VMS to purchase 29 Coradia Continental electric regional trains (EMUs), however 80km of the line between Chemnitz and Leipzig is not electrified, leading VMS to request a battery-electric version.
Alstom expects the trains to enter service in 2023, being built at Alstom’s rail yards in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony. The battery traction sub-system will be designed and supplied by Alstom’s traction centre in Tarbes, France.
The order is the first battery train order for Alstom, and represents a step forward for the company in providing emissions-free rollingstock, said Gian Luca Erbacci, senior vice president of Alstom Europe.
“Today, Alstom stands apart in being able to offer any form of emission-free traction currently on the market built into a proven solution. As a responsible company, Alstom has an intense focus on sustainable mobility, offering the best-fitting solutions that make it not only possible, but also cost-effective and attractive,” said Erbacci.
The 56m long and 150-seat Coradia Continental BEMU have a range of up to 120km. The trains can travel at a top speed of 160km/h in battery mode.
The order for the BEMU comes after Alstom has introduced the Coradia iLint which is powered by hydrogen fuel cells. According to a statement from Alstom the iLint trains have a performance comparable to diesel-powered trains, and have been in passenger service in Germany for more than one year.