Bombardier’s Talent 3 battery-electric multiple unit (battery EMU), which can be used to ‘bridge’ non-electrified lines and replace diesel trains with clean battery-powered ones, was awarded the Berlin Brandenburg innovation award in November.

Pierre-Yves Cohen, who is responsible for products and engineering at Bombardier Transportation (www.bombardier.com), said: “This award is a great testament to our team’s accomplishments and our commitment to deliver innovative and high-performing products that solve some of the biggest environmental and mobility challenges today.

“It was our goal to develop a quiet and eco-friendly train for passengers, while also offering operators world-wide the best alter-native to high-emission diesel trains — on both cost and safety aspects.

“We are very proud that — next year — the Talent 3 battery-powered train will be the first to enter passenger service in Europe in over 60 years.”

Bombardier says that with its ultra-fast-charging high-performance MITRAC lithium-ion batteries, the Talent 3 battery train could today operate on more than 30% of Germany’s non-electrified lines.

The train’s batteries are charged while driving, while at stations under the overhead line, and with the aid of recovered braking energy.

The battery EMU was developed in conjunction with various project partners.

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) contributed to the funding of the project with a grant of 4 million euros.