Hitachi Rail delivers innovative battery tram solution to boost Florence's mobility while protecting historic city centre landscape
In Florence, Hitachi Rail has been contracted to supply 46 advanced battery-powered trams and the necessary digital signalling to operate them.
Cutting edge battery tram technology removes the need to install costly and visually unattractive electrified infrastructure such as pylons in the historic city centre.
Hitachi Rail has been awarded a contract to deliver 46 of its new battery trams, as well as the digital signalling to operate them, for the city of Florence. The business has also won a €17m contract to deliver the maintenance for its Sirio trams, which are already serving passengers across Florence.
The new trams use cutting edge battery technology to remove the need for electrified infrastructure – usually overhead wires supported by poles or pylons – that are expensive to install and visually unattractive. Battery trams offer the opportunity to run high capacity public transport through city centres, while saving millions on installing wires and reducing the visual impact on beautiful historic centres, such as in Florence.
Delivery of the new vehicles will begin in 2026, with the possibility to be used on all trams lines across the city. The trams will have a maximum speed of 70 km/h, are 33.5 metres long with 54 seats, and have a maximum capacity of 278 passengers. The trams will also harness regenerative braking, allowing power to be returned to the batteries when the train brakes, reducing the overall amount of energy consumed and protecting the environment.
The trams have been designed to enhance passenger comfort, and include an innovative air conditioning system, large windows, and increased internal areas for passengers.
"Hitachi Rail has the strategic goal of providing innovative transport solutions worldwide. To be able to do this for the city of Florence, a very important urban centre and one of the world's most famous cities of art, is a further recognition for us," explained Luca D'Aquila, COO Hitachi Rail Group and CEO Hitachi Rail Italia.
"We are convinced that urban public transport is the main driver for the green transition of mobility. For this reason, we work daily to design and build increasingly comfortable, reliable and safe transport systems that are also environmentally friendly across the entire value chain. In our opinion, this is the way to stimulate the shift from private transport systems to new collective mobility solutions that can significantly improve the decarbonisation process of transport in cities."
Hitachi Rail's battery technology was first tested in Florence in 2021, and following the success of this trial, the business was awarded the contract to deliver the 46 new battery trains for the city of Florence.
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