Bombardier signs deal for battery trains

Plane and train manufacturer Bombardier is reported to have selected Swiss battery specialist Leclanche to supply lithium batteries to power its trains in a deal valued at £89mn over the next five years.

According to media reports, the UK government has promised to fully electrify the network by 2040, something that Leclanche says will cost Network Rail more than £450,000/km. Using batteries would reduce the need for many of the overhead wires and poles, claims Leclanche Chief Executive Anil Srivastava, bridging gaps of up to 40 km and reducing costs by around 30%.

For more on decarbonising the rail sector, see Petroleum Review’s forthcoming November 2019 issue.