This year the world's largest trade fair for the transport industry, InnoTrans, held in Berlin on 24-27 September, brings together more than 2,900 exhibitors from 59 countries on 200,000 m2 of exhibition space in 42 exhibition halls and 3,500 meters of rails. The world's leading trade fair focusing on railway technology and infrastructure, public transport, interiors and tunnel construction provides an impressive overview of the latest trends and technologies in the field of urban mobility.
In front of more than 160,000 visitors from about 150 countries, the battery train produced for HŽ Putnički prijevoz and the measurement train for the needs of HŽ Infrastruktura was presented by KONČAR – Electrična vozila.
During the presentation of the battery train, the Chairman of the Management Board of KONČAR – Electrična vozila, Josip Ninić, pointed out:
- We are especially proud of our battery train, which in this industry certainly belongs to a very narrow circle of modern railway solutions and reflects the rich experience of the KONČAR Group in the development of its own high-tech products, especially in the segment of urban mobility. Such trains will be used to transport passengers on a non-electrified network of railway lines, and they will be kept in motion by drive batteries that are charged exclusively using stable power connections for charging, and it is important to point out that we have taken great care of the accompanying infrastructure, which is also produced by KONČAR. We expect the train to be in service in the first quarter of next year.
Pointing out that these are high-tech products created on the knowledge and innovation of domestic experts and Croatian industry, the Chairman of the Management Board of KONČAR Gordan Kolak said:
- With the continuous development of products and solutions in the railway segment, such as electric trams and hybrid and battery trains, as well as the associated charging stations and infrastructure, we are building a future of public transport that will be more sustainable, greener, safer, more comfortable and have an allover higher quality. We are grateful to our long-standing partner, HŽ Putnički prijevoz, for the outstanding long-term cooperation within which we will soon deliver new battery trains. Their recognition of KONČAR as an innovative partner for advanced solutions in the green transition is especially important to us in order to build a successful performance on the entire EU market on domestic references.
Mario Šimić, project manager for the procurement of new trains in HŽPP, said more about the advantages of battery trains and current activities:
- These trains will be more comfortable, they will have a better offer and it will certainly be a step forward for our passengers. The train has 110 seats and will be able to run up to 120 km/h. Passengers will also have free Wi-Fi, wheelchair access, and bicycle space. We are currently building 6 battery charging stations to be installed in Split, Osijek, Varaždin, Bjelovar, Virovitica and Pula stations, and we are beginning testing at the end of the year. After that, the train goes into service.
On behalf of the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, State Secretary Žarko Tušek also presented Končar's trains, concluding by pointing out:
- We have secured the funds, we have the technology and the knowledge. The years of renaissance of the Croatian railway are ahead of us, and we are pleased to be able to include Croatian companies in this railway renaissance.
The procurement of a battery train is financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026 as part of the Application of Green Technologies in Railway Passenger Transport project.