Hitachi Rail continues to push the boundaries of creating greener, more sustainable trains to run on railway networks across the world.

At an event in Reggio Calabria, Trenitalia, Italy‘s major train company, launched its new Tri-mode trains which can run on Battery, Electric or Diesel power, offering the trains three different types of motive power.

The train is the first of seven to be built this year, which is part of a €1.23bn agreement with Trenitalia for hybrid trains.

Initially, these new trains will run between Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia. This will make Italy the latest country in the world to run Tri-Mode trains.

Tri-Mode units will run on longer services across the country in a broad range of areas, which include parts of the network where overhead power isn’t available.

They also offer back up power should the battery run out of charge or there are electrical supply problems.

Calculations show that these trains are 83% more energy efficient than the current diesel-only trains that run on Italy’s non-electrified lines.

They can also recover power from the brakes on the train, which can store power so that it can be used to drive the train further on its journey.

This is Hitachi’s latest evolution of Intercity trains, building on from their Masaccio fleet which were launched in December 2022 on Italy’s nationwide commuter and suburban lines.

Each of the seven trains will be unique to the rest of Trenitalia’s’ train fleet. In order to promote them to the Italian public, Trenitalia will brand them in a different livery.

Passengers will enable to benefit from the very latest in comfort and technology on board to enhance their long distance travel experience.

The new trains also include amenities such as air conditioning, bike stations, and large luggage spaces. The trains have a top speed of 160km/h and from a standing start and can accelerate rapidly at 1.10 metres per second, enabling them to reach line speeds quicker and shorten overall journey times.

Our hybrid intercity battery train is a sustainable, innovative train with cutting edge performance. Our train is designed to make journeys even safer, more comfortable and greener, supporting Trenitalia in its goal of equipping the country with a fleet of modern trains for the benefit of passengers and the environment.”

Luca D’Aquila, COO of the Hitachi Rail Group and CEO Hitachi Rail Italy.