Bombardier has signed a £100m five-year deal to build lithium-ion battery trains that could replace diesel trains across the UK's rail networks.
The UK's extensive railway networks were largely built in an era of fossil fuels, and in today's environmentally conscious world many countries are replacing their old diesel train networks with cleaner electric trains. Ministers have been set a target of phasing out the UK's diesel trains by 2040, an ambitious target that would require considerable investment in infrastructure.
Electrifying just one kilometer of a railway costs around £500,000, and any plans to replace existing systems will be complicated by the fact that the rail networks in some parts of the UK are privatised and owned by different organisations. Some parts of the UK network also may not be suitable for electrification.
Bombardier has now signed a £100m deal with Swiss firm Leclanché that could now help get that 2040 target back on track. The five year partnership will see Bombardier build efficient lithium-ion battery powered trains both for export and use locally. Lithium-ion batteries are powerful and light enough to power a train on their own without a diesel generator.
Battery trains are in use in places around the world where electrified rails or overhead cables are impractical. Some are able to charge enough at each stop or station for continuous use throughout the day, making them an ideal replacement for existing diesel trains.
Source: Telegraph, BusinessGreen
