Bombardier Transportation (
www.bombardier.com/en/transportation.html) has successfully completed a 41.6km catenary-free test run (CFO) using a Bombardier-built tram (with a Mitrac propulsion unit) powered entirely by its Primove battery. The test run was conducted in the German city of Mannheim on the Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr (RNV) network.
RNV began using SuperCaps energy storage systems in 2009, and it has integrated this technology into 30 of its trams. This provided sufficient energy for short CFO distances. However, the latest generation of Bombardier’s Primove battery system has been developed specifically for use with CFO where greater distances need to be covered.
In addition to application in Germany, the Primove/Mitrac combination has been operating successfully on the Hexi line in Nanjing (pictured), China, since August 2014. Six trams, built by CRRC Puzhen under Bombardier licence, operate without overhead cables on 90% of the lines.
The Primove battery system combines high power capacity and exceptional battery life with high reliability and has been designed to maximise performance, using the latest developments in nickel manganese cobalt Li-Ion cells. Furthermore, a thermal conditioning unit keeps the battery at optimum temperature and allows rapid charging and full braking-energy recovery.