Stadler has unveiled at InnoTrans 2024 its RS ZERO Regio-Shuttle with a fully decarbonised drive being available with either battery or hydrogen drive.
No other manufacturer has brought as many vehicles to InnoTrans as Stadler Rail AG – no fewer than eight. The portfolio ranges from trams and narrow-gauge ‘tailor-made’ solutions to a heavy locomotive with a bimodal drive. The centrepiece, however, is the rather inconspicuous RS Zero, a successor to the widely used RS1 branch line vehicle.
The rather small four-axle vehicle is preconfigured and will only be supplied with a locally emission-free drive. Following approval, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Thuringia intends to use the prototype as part of a pilot project together with the Erfurt railway company.
RS ZERO, the successor to RS1
With the RS ZERO, Stadler is presenting the successor to the successful Regio-Shuttle RS1 model. The train is available in two modern and environmentally friendly drive technologies: Hydrogen and battery. Both will enable CO2 emission-free operation of branch lines in the future.
This has been one of the most popular vehicles in German regional transport for 28 years. Around 500 RS1 vehicles are currently in service in Germany and the Czech Republic. Stadler is building on this proven technology and integrating state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly drive systems. The RS ZERO is optionally available with hydrogen and/or battery drive and thus sets new standards for environmentally friendly rail transport and flexible use – a world first.
With its battery and hydrogen drive, the RS ZERO offers a solution for locally CO2 emission-free operation on regional routes. It does not matter whether these are electrified or have hydrogen refuelling stations or charging islands. Each vehicle can be adapted to the respective conditions of the rail network. Thanks to its lightweight design and an axle load of less than 18 tonnes, it is also ideally suited to creating an economically attractive transport service on secondary routes with low traffic density.
The train is available as a one-car and two-car unit and offers space for 70 to 150 passengers. It is characterised by its low entry height, spacious and step-free low-floor area and barrier-free access, which is particularly advantageous for passengers with limited mobility
“The RS ZERO marks the beginning of a new era in regional rail transport. Stadler is accompanying the transport companies into a CO2-neutral future and offering a sustainable solution for local passenger transport. The RS ZERO is ready to take passengers to their destinations safely, comfortably and in an environmentally friendly manner”, the company said.
The train is expected to enter into operation in 2026.
The Class 99 for the UK market is also on show for the first time. It can be powered both by overhead line and by diesel engine.
Customised solutions are one of Stadler’s specialities. One such speciality is the vehicle for the narrow-gauge Centovalli railway.
The two operators of the line, the Swiss FART and the Italian SSIF, have ordered eight and four units respectively in two length variants.
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