Twenty Blues trains are now running—and plans are in the works to bring more than 100 into operation. Image Credit: Hitachi Rail
Environment EuropeHop On Europe’s First Battery-Powered Trains!
Europe’s first battery-powered trains are here, with 20 of them already running across Italy.
“The Blues train, with its pioneering battery hybrid technology, is a hugely important way for railways across Europe to reduce their carbon emissions while improving passengers’ journeys,” says Andrew Barr, group CEO of Hitachi Rail.
The trains themselves – nicknamed “Blues” – are technically “tribrid” trains as they have the ability to switch between battery power, electricity, and diesel. Blues themselves are made of 93 percent recyclable material and reduce overall fuel consumption by 50 percent when compared with diesel trains. Hitachi confirms that battery-powered trains are a huge leap forward in Europe’s effort to “decarbonize” passenger rail.
