Rail travel that is 100% carbon-neutral: no unnecessary exhaust fumes that you are forced to breathe in at the train station, no disruptive noise from loud engines – a big step towards a sustainable future.
Rethinking sustainability for rail travel
For years, the railway industry has been working diligently on how to electrify trains completely. The goal is to develop solutions that satisfy the growing demands of the green transition in transport – which is to say, shifting transport from road to rail – while also minimising alterations to existing infrastructure. Easier said than done.
Previously, fully electric train travel was contingent on one crucial factor: electrified tracks. This is because trains usually get their electricity from overhead wires. In Germany, however, 38% of the tracks are not electrified, and in Europe as a whole that figure is as high as 43%. For complete electrification, those lines would need to be retrofitted – a major effort requiring huge investment.
The solution: RS ZERO
As one of the leading manufacturers of rail vehicles and a longterm partner of HOPPECKE, Stadler introduced a new product this year to address precisely this challenge: the RS ZERO regional train. Based on its predecessor product the Regio-Shuttle, the RS ZERO relies 100% on alternative fuels, which allow it to traverse nonelectrified sections of the route. End customers can choose from a hybrid hydrogen-powered version of the new train (HEMU), or a battery-electric model (BEMU). It is designed so that every vehicle can flexibly adapt to the conditions of the rail network.
Long-term collaboration between HOPPECKE and Stadler
HOPPECKE batteries are on board, too. For over 20 years, technology leaders HOPPECKE and Stadler have shared a collaborative partnership, strongly driven by the innovative spirit of both companies. Numerous HOPPECKE lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries are in use as auxiliary batteries in Stadler vehicles. For more than five years, HOPPECKE has also been supplying traction batteries for regional and long-distance trains. This successful partnership now continues with the high-voltage lithium traction battery in the RS ZERO.
HOPPECKE LiTrac in the RS ZERO
Both the HEMU and BEMU versions of the RS ZERO use HOPPECKE’s latest battery system, the highly compact, flat-design LiTrac. Different lithium technologies can be utilised, to suit the different versions of the vehicle. Zero-emission travel, reduced noise when in battery mode, and a carefully engineered, future-proof energy supply make the RS ZERO a veritable trailblazer. We are delighted and proud that our batteries can support Stadler in enabling CO2 -free travel on local rail networks with the RS ZERO.
Currently, we are working tirelessly to complete and commission the batteries for the RS ZERO prototype so that Stadler Rail can complete the type tests and approval process on schedule. HOPPECKE is supporting Stadler Rail during this test phase. For HOPPECKE, too, successful completion of the test phase and approval for the RS ZERO in Germany will be significant milestones.
