Stadler holds the world record for train journeys without recharging the battery

Stadler has set the record to be officially entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for abattery train journey in battery-only mode. Traveling on the route from Berlin to Warnemünde in the company of independent technical consultants, the FLIRT Akku test carrier reached a range of exactly 224.00 kilometers at wintry temperatures around freezing point.

The three-unit FLIRT Akku used for the record journey has been developed by Stadler since 2016 as a local CO2-neutral mobility solution for the climate-friendly operation of unelectrified railway routes. The vehicle was approved by the German Federal Railway Office and introduced to the public for the very first time in 2018. Ever since when the FLIRT Akku test carrier has travelled around 15,000 kilometres in battery-only operation, before setting the world record for a regional train journey in battery-only mode without additional charge now.

«We designed and calculated the vehicle for an operational range of 80 kilometres, depending on the route requirements of the respective network. But on various journeys testing the technology, we were able to realize significantly greater ranges, so that we even dared to attempt the world record at wintry temperatures. The vehicle had already had to cope with various scenarios like making up for unplanned delays on the track or operating under extremely hot or cold weather conditions in the testing after all», explains Evelyn Thiel, Technical Project Leader for the FLIRT Akku at Stadler.

«We are very proud to be the official holder of the world record for travelling the longest route in battery-only mode with a regional train now – having reached this result under weather conditions which are anything but ideal for batteries. Stadler has already worked in the area of battery technology for rail vehicles over 75 years ago. We consistently continued to pursue this approach for unusual technological solutions in the company and developed a flexibly deployable train that also enables CO2-neutral mobility on so-called diesel routes with the FLIRT Akku. As a market and technology leader in battery technologies for rail vehicles, the decision to undertake the record journey was a logical consequence», says Dr. Ansgar Brockmeyer, Executive Vice President Marketing & Sales and Deputy CEO of Stadler.

 

Source: Stadler press releases