The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors has approved $54 million in funding for the purchase of battery-electric trains for the Fairmount Line in Massachusetts. According to the plan, the first trains are expected to be delivered by 2028.
The plan to introduce battery-electric trains in Massachusetts was proposed in December 2023 by Keolis Commuter Services. The acquisition of battery-powered trains will allow the MBTA to transition to electric traction without the need for full network electrification. The traction batteries will be recharged on station tracks equipped with overhead contact lines. It is projected that the new type of rolling stock will save 6 million liters of fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 17.7 thousand tons annually compared to diesel trains.
As battery traction technology advances, battery-powered multiple units are covering increasingly longer distances. In the spring of 2024, in the UK, a battery train Class 230 with a rapid charging system by Great Western Railway (GWR) traveled from Long Marston to Honeybourne, covering a distance of 138 km (86 miles) without recharging. Also, in the spring of this year, the German city of Ortenau saw the introduction of four Mireo Plus B battery trains produced by Siemens Mobility. According to Siemens, these trains have a range of up to 120 km without connecting to the power grid and are 25% cheaper to maintain than diesel trains.
