CROATIA: National passenger train operator HŽPP has put its prototype battery-electric multiple-unit into revenue service on the Zagreb – Bjelovar route, which is electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz as far as Gradec.
Guests at the launch on May 13 included Minister of Transport Oleg Butković.
In December 2022 HŽPP awarded domestic manufacturer Končar KEV a €17·1m contract to supply a prototype BEMU and a battery-only unit, along with six charging stations in Split, Osijek, Varaždin, Bjelovar, Virovitica and Pula. The order was funded with €13·3m from the National Recovery & Resilience Plan.
A contract for the supply of four production BEMUs and four battery units is expected to be signed during May.
The three-car low-floor BEMU is 56·2 m long, with an 18 tonne axleload, 157 seats and space for standing 158 passengers. It has CCTV, wheelchair ramps, an accessible toilet and space for bicycles.
It is designed to operate for up to 18 h and 480 km per day, with a maximum speed of 160 km/h using overhead electrification and 120 km/h on battery power. The 12 INT-53 Energy modular lithium-ion battery packs supplied by the Leclanché have a nominal capacity of 631 kWh; they can be charged from the catenary or fixed charging stations.
The thermal management system optimises the charging and discharging cycles to enable adequate cooling of the groups of cells while presenting the battery to the control system as a single unit.
Of the four largest cities in Croatia, only Zagreb and Rijeka are connected by an electrified line. The routes from Zagreb to Osijek and Split are only partially electrified and currently require diesel operation or a change of traction.
