Angel Trains, Hitachi Rail and TransPennine Express are celebrating the successful completion of the UK’s first intercity battery train trial in the North of England.
The powerful 700kw battery technology met, and in some cases even surpassed, the key objectives of the trial, including:
- Fuel costs savings between 35%-50%, surpassing previous predictions of up to 30%.
- Just one battery has managed to power the train to speeds greater than 75mph, clearly demonstrating this technology can enter, alight and exit stations solely in zero-emission battery-mode to improve air quality and reduce noise pollution.
- Able to achieve all journey times and performance requirements so can meet operators timetable requirements.
- The battery matches the weight of a diesel engine and is installed in the same undercarriage space, ensuring no risk of track degradation and no impact on the passenger environment.
The successful completion of the intercity battery train trial proves that this battery technology works, providing different applications to deliver cheaper, greener and reliable journeys.
Right now, a single battery enables quieter, zero-emission travel in and out of non-electrified stations. During trials, it powered the train for a mile before and after stations, seamlessly switching back to diesel engines while maintaining performance and journey times. This technology can immediately reduce noise pollution and improve air quality.
Fuel cost savings surpassed expectations. Trial results indicate that a single battery can achieve fuel savings of 35-50%. A range of fuel cost savings can be delivered through train settings, battery usage and driving style. On several occasions during the trial a 50% saving was achieved when using ‘Eco-mode’ where the battery entirely powers the trains on route sections and alighting in stations.
Intercity battery train range
During a trial run, the battery’s impressive power enabled the train to operate solely in battery mode for 70km. This is more than an adequate range to cover bridges, tunnels, stations, and final stretches of routes.
Based on real-world data, such a train would have a range between 100-150km. These ranges can cover significant sections of non-electrified routes, eliminating the need for wires in tunnels or stations, and potentially saving hundreds of millions of pounds on electrification projects.
Hitachi Rail is the only train manufacturer developing a battery product using the UK battery supply chain. A GBP 17 million investment has fostered new skills and expanded the North East supply chain, including partnerships with Turntide Technologies in Sunderland.
By focusing on UK innovation and a domestic supply chain, Hitachi Rail is supporting the Government’s Industrial Strategy and growing the battery sector. The company aims to use this battery technology in other trains and large vehicles globally, creating a UK battery export opportunity.
Looking ahead, Hitachi Rail is collaborating with Innovate UK and the University of Birmingham to develop next-generation battery technology, ensuring a range of solutions to meet customer needs.
Hitachi Rail is ready to leverage its skills and technology to deliver new battery trains or retrofit existing fleets. Discussions with the Government and the rail industry are underway to determine the next steps for this technology.
“Rail is already the most environmentally friendly form of public transport, and the success of this trial will pave the way for even greener, more reliable journeys for millions of passengers. This technology will play a vital role as we deliver our ambitious plans to transform and decarbonise the railways, and it could open the door to a more affordable expansion of the network for communities across the country,” Rail Minister Lord Hendy said.
“Everyone should be immensely proud of creating battery technology that had zero failures during the entire trial. Using our global expertise, Hitachi Rail has created new technology which means the greenest mode of transport, just got greener. Investing GBP 17 million in new clean technology, we are ready to deliver both new or retrofitted battery intercity fleets. Not only will this provide cheaper, greener and reliable railway journeys, but it will also create a new advanced manufacturing opportunity to support the North East’s Industrial Strategy. Ahead of the 200-year anniversary of Stockton-Darlington railway, it seems fitting that Hitachi has created the rail technology of the future, right here in the birthplace of the modern railway,” said Jim Brewin, Chief Director of UK & Ireland at Hitachi Rail.
This important project draws upon Hitachi’s global battery expertise which includes delivering the world’s first passenger battery train in Japan, and rolling out the Masaccio, Europe’s first battery hybrid train in Italy in 2022. The evolution of the technology continues at pace with Hitachi Rail recently unveiling its new intercity version of the train, and with a target to roll out a new EuroMasaccio platform in additional European markets.
There are thousands of trains running across the world that are powered by diesel engines, which will need to be decarbonised to meet net zero targets. In Italy, the Masaccio has instantly cut CO2 emissions by 50% compared to the diesel trains it has replaced. The ability to replace diesel engines with a powerful battery, and unlock cheaper partial electrification, can create a low-cost pathway to decarbonise railways around the world.
Testing of the intercity battery train commenced in August and took place over two months on the Transpennine network, including York to Manchester Airport and Leeds to Liverpool Lime Street.
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