East Japan Railway (www.jreast.co.jp/e) has begun test running with the first of eight HB-E210 two-car battery-diesel multiple units to be supplied by J-TREC.

JR East ordered the hybrid DMUs in 2013 for use on services that will run through from the 1.5kV DC electrified Senseki Line to the 20kV 50Hz Tohoku Main Line, via a newly built non-electrified link near Sendai.

The two-car HB-E210 has been developed from the EB-E200 prototype, which is in service on the Koumi Line. The 1,067mm-gauge unit is powered by an underfloor six-cylinder 450hp engine, giving a maximum speed of 100kph. Three roof-mounted 15.2kWh lithium-ion batteries are used to store energy regenerated during braking for use during acceleration.

The two cars, which are 19.5m long and 2,950mm wide, feature a lightweight stainless-steel construction that gives respective car weights of 39.6 and 38.4 tonnes.