CZECH REPUBLIC: RegioJet has signed a KC9bn contract for Škoda Group to supply 18 two-car and 16 three-car battery-electric-diesel multiple-units for use on routes that are not yet electrified.
Škoda said BEDMUs are the best available option for routes where electrification has not yet been completed, and the fleet would save up to 19 000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
BEDMU design
The 27Ev trainsets from the manufacturer’s Panter family are designed as battery-electric units, with a diesel powerpack serving only as a generator to continuously charge the battery. They will make use of 3 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz overhead electrification where available, and the engines can use hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel. There will be systems for optimising energy consumption and smooth transitions between operating modes, taking into account timetables and track profiles.
The BEDMUs are designed to be converted into fully battery or fully electric units in the future.
They will have business and standard class seating, vending machines, air-conditioning, passenger information systems, internal and external CCTV, wi-fi, charging sockets and ETCS. There will be level boarding and low-floor interiors and an accessible toilet to provide easy travel for passengers with reduced mobility, and dedicated spaces for wheelchair chair users, pushchairs and bicycles.
‘This contract is an important step forward in bringing the most advanced technologies to Czech railways. The new BEDMU units combine passenger comfort with sustainability and efficient operation.’ said Škoda Group CEO Petr Novotný on September 16.
| Škoda 27Ev BEDMU specifications | ||
|---|---|---|
| Two-car | Three-car | |
| Track gauge | 1 435 mm | |
| Traction systems | 3 kV DC / 25 kV, 50 Hz + traction batteries + diesel powerpack | |
| Maximum speed | 160 km/h (120 km/h in battery mode) | |
| Power output, kW | 1 620 (1 340 in battery mode) | |
| Door width, mm | 1 300 | |
| Floor height at entrance, mm | 580 | |
| Length, m | 52·9 | 79·4 |
| Seats | 120 | 197 |
| - of which business class | 10 | 16 |
Operations
The trains are scheduled to enter service in December 2029 when RegioJet begins operating routes R14A Pardubice – Liberec, R14B Liberec – Ústí nad Labem, R21 Praha – Tanvald, R22 Kolín – Rumburk and R24 Praha – Rumburk under a 15-year PSO contract awarded by the Ministry of Transport.
To make the rolling stock procurement cost effective, the operating contract guarantees that the vehicles will be transferred to the next operator when the contract term expires.
Lines need investment
RegioJet’s Strategy Director Jiří Schmidt said improving transport in the area would also require investment by the Ministry of Transport and the infrastructure manager.
‘Many lines here have seen no investment for decades’, he said. ‘They need greater capacity, higher speeds and above all, electrification. Better-quality lines will create new transfer opportunities for passengers and improve co-ordination with other modes of transport. We also expect investments in park and ride facilities.’
