Tests were completed over the past few days on the non-electrified lines from Almelo to Hardenberg and Arnhem to Doetinchem, in the east of the Netherlands. This train runs with electric energy 1.5kV DC from the overhead line and uses the battery to bridge non-electrified sections.
The use of battery power enables trains to run independently on non-electrified lines and provides a more sustainable alternative to diesel. Batteries can also capture energy while the train is braking. They can be charged from electrified lines or at designated charging-points on a network.
Stadler has sold around 300 trains and locomotives with traction batteries in ten countries, including more than 110 FLIRT Akku for operation in three regions in Germany.
In tests conducted last year, the battery-powered FLIRT Akku travelled more than 220km in battery-only mode, the longest distance on record and documented in the book of Guinness World Records.
Stadler is also currently building the first hydrogen-powered train ever to run in the US, ordered by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.
Dr Ansgar Brockmeyer, executive vice president of marketing and sales, and deputy CEO of Stadler, said, “These trials highlight the role that green technology can play in decarbonizing our world and bring us one step further to creating a truly green railway. Working closely with our clients, Stadler is committed to developing innovative ways of making the industry more sustainable, providing attractive and efficient rolling stock, to encourage modal shift for both passengers and freight.”