“A good train for the environment”: with this slogan, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Alstom drew up an interim balance of the trial operation of the battery-powered multiple unit in passenger transport in Germany last 14 April. Since 24 January 2022, Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been running the first fully certified battery train from Alstom on a trial basis on the Gäubahn between Herrenberg and Eutingen im Gäu as well as on the Pleinfeld – Gunzenhausen line in Bavaria (Central Franconia) – a major step for an environmentally and climate-friendly drive technology in local transport. The train already has more than two months of practical experience and 20,000 kilometres covered. Initial findings show: The train is reliable, the battery is stable and the electric driving experience is convincing for both drivers and passengers.
Together with Michael Theurer, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport and Federal Government Commissioner for Rail Transport (digital), Berthold Frieß, Ministerial Director at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport and Müslüm Yakisan, President of the DACH Region at Alstom, Thorsten Krenz, DB Group Representative for the State of Baden-Württemberg, took stock of the battery train test.
A video about the production and testing of the battery train can be found here:
Thorsten Krenz: “As Deutsche Bahn, we want to be climate-neutral by 2040. Since the end of January, the first battery train has been on the road with passengers in Baden-Württemberg. The first interim balance after around 20,000 kilometres is thoroughly positive. The train is well received by passengers and staff alike. And it provides important insights into how we can use this technology of the future in operation and maintenance. I am pleased that we in Baden-Württemberg are helping to drive forward the green transformation with the expertise and commitment of our colleagues at DB Regio. With the battery train, we are taking the next big step in regional transport on the way to an emission-free railway in Germany.”
Michael Theurer: “More than two months in running operation prove it: This railcar stands for progress on the railways. Thanks to battery-electric propulsion, we can also travel almost climate-neutrally on routes that could otherwise only be electrified at great expense. A real climate protector that will initially be on the road here in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria and, if the results continue to be good, possibly soon everywhere in the country in regional transport.”
Berthold Frieß: “We want to ensure that all trains in Baden-Württemberg are climate-neutral as soon as possible. On non-electrified lines, the construction of an overhead line is lengthy and can also be too expensive in individual cases. Here, battery trains can be a good and quickly available option to replace the previous diesel drive. Deutsche Bahn’s trial with the battery train on the Gäubahn is of great importance in order to gain important knowledge and experience. Battery trains will also be used on other railway lines such as in the Ortenau region or on the reactivation line of the Hermann-Hesse railway between Calw and Renningen, which is currently under construction.”
Müslüm Yakisan: “Alternative drives are the future of mobility and Alstom has the clear goal of further expanding its international leadership in this field. Parallel to our hydrogen train, which was in passenger service here in Baden-Württemberg for several months until February, the battery train is now also providing us with important data from the field. It impressively proves that our alternative propulsion technologies offer an efficient and cost-effective solution for bridging the non-electrified gaps in the German rail network.”
Operation & technology
The routes in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria are particularly suitable for test operation due to their topography and the different route profiles. On the one hand, they enable a high mileage of the train, which will cover around 30,000 kilometres by May. In addition, different battery charging scenarios can be tested and technical refinements can be made. In Baden-Württemberg, the train’s battery is charged while the train is in motion. In sections, the train runs in battery mode and thus provides findings from charging and discharging cycles. In Bavaria, the battery train only receives the necessary power directly from the overhead lines at the electrified destination and starting stations of Pleinfeld and Gunzenhausen, as the line in between is not electrified. In addition to DB as the operator, the local transport company Baden-Württemberg (NVBW) and the Bavarian railway company (BEG) are associated project partners.
Since 2016, Alstom has been developing the battery-electric train together with TU Berlin, with the support of the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW) and funding from the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport. It is a possible sustainable successor to diesel trains in Germany: So far, only diesel trains run on a total of 450 lines in the German rail network. Alternative drives enable efficient and emission-free operation on these lines. The almost four-month test in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria is the next step in this direction.
On weekdays the battery-powered train will run in Baden-Württemberg on the Stuttgart – Horb line and on Saturdays and Sundays, on the Pleinfeld – Gunzenhausen line in the Franconian Lake District. This arrangement will maximise the train’s mileage while testing a variety of route profiles and battery charging scenarios. While in Baden-Württemberg charging takes place during the ongoing journey, in Bavaria charging can only take place at the electrified destination and departure stations, as the route in between is not electrified. DB Regio will operate the train in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Associated project partners are Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (NVBW) and the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG).
While Alstom’s hydrogen trains are optimised for longer routes, Alstom’s BEMUs are suitable for shorter routes or lines with non-electrified sections previously operated with diesel vehicles. Direct connections between electrified and non-electrified network sections are now possible and can be operated emission free, without the need of additional electrification – shortening the travel time between city and country.
The so-called BEMU, Battery Electric Multiple Unit, is a three-section, 56 m long Talent 3 electric multiple unit that has been equipped with a total of four traction battery systems. In total, the vehicle has a battery capacity of 300 kWh, which corresponds to a range of up to 40 km. The vehicle development was accompanied by operational and infrastructural analyses by the TU Berlin.
20.04.2022
