Super-fast charging for battery-powered trains is becoming a reality thanks to the British operator Great Western Railway (GWR), this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Super-fast charging for battery-powered trains

The company, part of FirstGroup, will commence operational trials of the FastCharge system on secondary lines in West London as early as spring 2024.

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This innovative system will provide charging for traction batteries in just 3.5 minutes with a power of up to 2000 kW.

The agreement for the trials was signed between GWR and Vivarail back in early 2022.

Vivarail, which has modernized old London Underground trains, equipped them with traction batteries.

After Vivarail’s bankruptcy in December 2022, GWR acquired its intellectual property, rolling stock, and FastCharge system equipment.

Before the operational trials of the FastCharge system, successful testing was conducted on an experimental track at the Innovation Centre in Long Marston.

The system utilizes a stationary battery storage, capable of quickly delivering energy to onboard batteries, and is recharged from the electrical grid via a third rail.

With the successful completion of the FastCharge system trials, according to a representative from Network Rail, it will be possible to replace diesel trains on 80 secondary British lines totaling over 3500 km.

The prospects of this technology are promising, and it could be a significant step in reducing the transportation industry’s carbon footprint.

Photo: GWR

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