Stadler builds eight customised hybrid metre-gauge multiple units for southern France

The French railway company Chemins de fer de Provence (CP) and Stadler are paving the way for more environmentally friendly railway operations between Nice and Digne-les-Bains. The two companies have signed a contract for the delivery of eight two-car metre-gauge multiple units. This is one of Stadler's largest orders for the French market.

The vehicles are replacing CP's diesel legacy fleet and are equipped with a hybrid drive. The more environmentally friendly trains will be used on the 150-kilometre-long narrow-gauge line between Nice and Digne-les-Bains in the urban area of Nice. The metre-gauge multiple units run on battery power, while the hybrid drive comprises battery and a biodiesel-powered engine for use in rural areas. The hybrid drive significantly reduces CO2 emissions by up to 77 per cent compared to a diesel vehicle. A charging station for the battery is being built in Nice. The customised trains are 40 metres long and can carry around 180 passengers. They are manufactured at the Stadler plant in Bussnang in northeast Switzerland.

"Stadler is delighted with the order from Chemins de fer de Provence and very pleased to be building customised metre-gauge multiple units for this client. We are proud to be able to make a significant contribution to environmentally friendly mobility on this route in the Région Sud with the hybrid drive," says Ansgar Brockmeyer, Head of Marketing & Sales at Stadler. "Passengers can look forward to travelling on state-of-the-art, comfortable trains, which take them to their destination in a more sustainable way."