China just awarded Bombardier Sifang a contract to build 80 “very high speed trains” for the country.
These are super progressive trains that are energy efficient as well as lightning fast. China intends to invest a total of $300 billion in high speed trains by 2020.
China High Speed Rail Investments
According to Bombardier’s press release, the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR) hired the company to supply the country with 80 ZEFIRO 380 very high speed trains (1,120 cars). The first train is supposed to be delivered by 2012 and the last in 2014.
China is planning to develop 6,000 km of high speed rail lines (in total) and is looking to have one of the most advanced systems in the world. This is just one step in the process.
New Rail Energy Efficiency
The ZEFIRO 380 trains have a maximum operating speed of 236 mph (380 kph). They use a “highly energy efficient BOMBARDIER MITRAC propulsion and control system” and Bombardier’s “advanced ECO4 energy saving technologies.” Bombardier released its ECO4 technology last year as part of an attempt to “extend rail’s position as the most sustainable form of transportation in the world.”
Overall energy savings from the new technologies the ZEFIRO trains are using can be as high as 50%.
As Stéphane Rambaud-Measson, Bombardier Transportation Passengers Division President, says, these ZEFIRO trains are a complete package and a key component is their energy efficiency. “ZEFIRO represents a step change in the very high speed rail sector. It’s fast to be sure, but competitive rail service demands more than just speed. It’s about operating efficiency, best-in-class energy consumption per passenger, reliability and rider capacity that exceeds anything else on the rails.”
These trains are expected to hit China in a few years and boost China’s efficiency in a great way. What is the US investing in?
via Treehugger & Bombardier
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Image Credit 1: Bombardier
Image Credit 2: Bombardier
Image Credit 3: Bombardier
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