As a climate change innovator, Hitachi Rail’s suite of battery powered trains - for trams, commuter and intercity networks - is already helping to reduce CO2 emissions in Japan, Italy and soon the UK. In fact, Hitachi Rail is committed to delivering net zero for our CO2 emissions by 2030, and through our entire value chain by 2050. And we are not operating alone.
Combining forces as part of the broader Hitachi Group, we are pioneering sustainable decarbonisation solutions across the entire battery lifecycle to help cities, governments and operators cut carbon in the mobility sector. Whether train operators want to deploy full battery, “hybrid” battery-electric or “tri-brid” battery-electric-diesel trains, our battery enabled trains and charging solutions offer a fast track for operators looking to affordably meet their environmental goals.
Hitachi Rail’s battery-powered tram technology offers the major benefit of requiring no electrified infrastructure. Our trams can operate on sections of routes with no overhead wires, such as historic city centres, and offer range increase of up to 5km.
It’s flexible too. The new technology is based on an Onboard Energy Storage System (OBESS), with scalable battery capacity. It can be installed directly on the roof of existing trams - saving on costs all while ensuring better environmental performance for more sustainable cities.
Our battery powered commuter trains – whether full battery, “hybrid” battery-electric or “tri-brid” battery-electric-diesel - are designed with reliability, sustainability, and efficiency in mind. This new generation of battery hybrid technology brings improved performance across the fleet – lower CO2 output, up to 50% reduction in fuel consumption, lower noise, reduced journey times, and additional power over normal performance.
Capable of running on both electrified and unelectrified railway lines, these battery powered trains offer greater flexibility for fleet management on regional lines with little to no impact on the existing railway infrastructure.
A quick and easy application of battery technology is to install it on existing or future Hitachi intercity trains. Adding just one battery reduces emissions by more than 20% and offers cost savings of 20-30%.
Our intercity battery powered trains can cover 70km on non-electrified routes, operating at intercity speeds at the same or increased performance. Hitachi Rail’s modular design means this can be done without the need to re-engineer or rebuild the train and return them to service as quickly as possible for passengers.
Learn more about how Hitachi business units are collaborating for a more sustainable future:
- 24 Hours at the Edge of Innovation
- How batteries can super-charge the transition to net zero
- Carbon-neutral society needs a better energy-mobility nexus
- Challenges and Opportunities in Transportation Fleet Electrification
- Hitachi Energy – Sustainable Transportation
- Enterprise Asset Management for Railways
- Accelerating grid expansion for a carbon-neutral future
