Last month saw the first four Mireo Plus B battery hybrid trains from Siemens Mobility begin regular service, marking a first in Germany. The official start, which was celebrated by an exclusive inaugural trip from Offenburg to Oberkirch and back, was accompanied by Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport for the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Mr Hermann said: “We are writing a new chapter in railway history with this opening trip. Thanks to the battery hybrid drive of the Mireo Plus B, trains operating in the Ortenau region as of today are more climate-friendly than those using diesel. Baden-Württemberg is a pioneer with innovative train technology, and we are relying on alternative, climate-friendly solutions wherever there are still no overhead power lines.”

Albrecht Neumann, Siemens Mobility’s CEO of rolling stock, said: “We are proud that our first fleet of Mireo Plus B battery trains is now going into passenger service. We would like to thank the state of Baden-Württemberg and SWEG (Southwest German Transport Company) for their trust and confidence in our innovative and environment-friendly technology. By expanding rail transport, we can make an active contribution to climate protection. The introduction of these highly advanced trains, which can operate up to 120km on battery power, marks an important step towards a sustainable future.”

Powered by green electricity, the Mireo Plus B battery-electric multiple-unit trains produce no emissions and can be used on routes with and without overhead power lines. In the future, when they operate throughout the entire network and replace the diesel-powered Regio Shuttle, they will cut diesel consumption by around 1.8 million litres per year. Its batteries can be recharged from the overhead line and with braking energy. The Mireo Plus B’s battery system, installed beneath the car floor, includes two battery containers holding lithium-ion batteries designed to offer a long service life.

The trains will be serviced and maintained by Siemens Mobility for SWEG for about 30 years in the newly built rail maintenance depot in Offenburg (this opened in June 2023). Condition-based, predictive maintenance of the trains is made possible by Siemens’ cloud-based Mobility Railigent X Suite application, which uses advanced algorithms and data analytics to detect potential disruptions before they lead to breakdowns.