"Alstom's ambition is to be a global leader in sustainable mobility, reducing carbon emissions and pollution. The presentation of the first battery-powered train developed by Alstom is an important step in this direction. With the Coradia iLint, Alstom also has in its portfolio the world's first hydrogen train in commercial service. With hydrogen and battery trains, Alstom offers its customers two alternative green propulsion solutions for the railway," says Müslüm Yakisan, Alstom DACH Region President.
The Coradia Continental battery-electric train has an autonomy of up to 120 kilometers and can be operated both under the catenary and on non-electrified line sections. The three-car trains are 56 meters long and have a capacity of 150 passengers. In battery mode, they will reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h.
"With Alstom's battery-powered trains, we want to start the transport of the future in passenger rail operation. We will be able to travel electrically on one of the most important railway routes without it already being electrified. The possibility to travel cleanly, ecologically, and comfortably between Chemnitz and Leipzig is the result of the interaction between the regional transport association and the innovative technology from Alstom", says Mathias Korda, Managing Director Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen GmbH (VMS).
The capacity of the high-performance lithium-ion batteries is calculated to guarantee catenary-free operation on the Chemnitz-Leipzig line without sacrificing performance or passenger comfort. The German production facilities in Salzgitter and Mannheim are involved in the production of battery electric trains. The battery traction subsystem is designed and supplied by the Alstom plant in Tarbes, a center for green traction systems.
Alstom offers the most extensive and complete portfolio of direct zero-emission traction technologies, from classic electrics to hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. Introduced in 2016, the Coradia iLint is the world's first and only operational hydrogen-powered passenger train. This green traction train is silent and emits only water vapor. Alstom has also developed battery traction solutions across multiple product platforms to serve shorter, non-electrified lines. In addition, Alstom's green traction solutions offer the possibility to convert existing diesel trains to direct zero-emission traction.
