Germany will use 44 more battery-electric trains after purchase from train manufacturer Stadler. The order came from three regional German railway operators and will be coordinated by DB Regio, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, operator of commuter and regional trains in Germany.

 

The electric trains will draw power from their battery packs or overhead lines and be 55 meters long, which is an extra length to allow for “the highest possible passenger capacity for the heavily frequented routes.” Stadler says the two-part vehicles will go into service on 8 Southern and Western Palatinate railway lines starting December 2025. They will take the place of current diesel engines on those lines.

 

Max range for the new electric trains’ batteries is 80 km up to a possible 180 km demonstrated in testing. The train tracks on these routes have overhead wires for recharging at least every 48 km or less, and these overhead lines have enough power to both power the train and recharge batteries at the same time. This provides the trains ample power to make their routes.

 

Maik Dreser, the head of regional management for DB Regio, said of the new train order, “We are already the most climate-friendly mobility company in Germany. And by 2040, we at Deutsche Bahn want to be climate neutral. Alternative drives and fuels are an essential part of achieving this goal. We are therefore absolutely delighted that the commissioning authorities responsible for the Palatinate network have opted for environmentally-friendly technology and that we will be able to put this technology into operation in the new transport contract.”

 

This is Stadler’s second major order for electric trains in Germany. Other locations running similar technology include Berlin. Stadler offers diesel hybrid train models as well. In the United States, San Bernardino, California, runs hydrogen fuel cell trains. (inhabitat)

 

 

PHOTO CREDIT: Stadler.