BOSTON, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trains that could
travel to more tucked-away parts of the country with zero emissions
are an example of the potential behind battery electric (BEV)
and fuel cell (FC) trains. The benefits to the environment,
alongside businesses removing long-term fuel costs, could make this
advancement even more worthwhile.
Fuel economy and the environment
Fuel economy is a key driver for BEV and FC trains, as fuels
such as diesel used to power trains can be expensive and
unsustainable. Businesses within the rail sector are setting their
own targets for reducing emissions, with companies such as Deutsche
Bahn aiming to be climate neutral by 2040 and to half
CO2 emissions by 2030. Many other companies are
following suit with their own long-term goals, all of which are
contributing to a future of zero-emission rail transport.
Environmentally friendly reputations are not the only factor at
stake, but financially, companies are set to see investments in
electric trains benefitting long-term costs by scrapping the need
for diesel.
Battery hybrid trains, which are in use without the need for
overhead lines, have already been shown to reduce fuel consumption
and are a huge driver for switching to electric. Hybrid trains
might be the next step, but it is hoped that trains will be
completely electric and will no longer require fuel, increasing the
sustainability of rail travel exponentially. Due to the
longevity of trains, investing in BEV trains, rather than
continuing to buy diesel trains in the coming years could avoid the
prolonging of reaching zero-emission in the rail sector and make
the future zero-emission goals of companies more achievable. Fuel
cell trains will most likely be used less commonly, primarily in
colder climates and for longer distances, where battery electric
vehicles tend to suffer from range reduction.
Passenger trains will be among the first to become electrified,
including long distance as well as intercity, so people can feel
better about lowering their carbon footprint with rail travel. In
the long term, BEV trains will dominate the demand for batteries in
the rail sector.
Physical accessibility
Taking a train right down to the beach might feel closer to
being possible as BEV trains will not require the same complex
overhead systems as trains in use today. Overhead systems are very
expensive, approximately US$1-5
million per mile, and are therefore far more difficult to install
in remote areas. Diesel trains can also achieve this, but are not
ideal going into a future zero-emission transport world.
The new zero-emission trains will change transport accessibility
in places where it is not viable to install overhead
infrastructure, either due to cost or geographical factors such as
bridges or surrounding water, and people will be able to catch a
train to places they couldn't before. BEV and FC trains will
introduce the possibility for greater accessibility for those who
don't drive or who prefer to travel by train.
In China, electric trains are
already popular as short distance trains are much more common, so
BEV trains are a great solution to lower emissions across the
transport sector as well as supporting lower road emissions. In
their report, "Battery Electric & Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trains
2023-2043", IDTechEx predicts the electric trains market to grow
10-fold from 2024 to 2044, forecasting just how successful the
introduction of BEV trains could be.
Rail stations could look different in the future, as they will
need to massively increase their power connectivity to charge up
the trains. Battery electric trains will be far more common as the
market grows due to the cost of the hydrogen fuel alternative and
the lack of infrastructure to make hydrogen readily available.
Despite rail transport only contributing a fairly small portion of
global transport emissions, these new and improved trains will help
take an extra step towards zero-emission transport. They could
change the experience of traveling by train for good.
To find out more about this topic, please see the IDTechEx
report "Battery Electric & Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trains 2023-2043"
at www.IDTechEx.com/Train. Downloadable sample pages are available
for this report.
For the full portfolio of electric vehicle market research from
IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/EV.
About IDTechEx
IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging
technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been
helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply
chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more
information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or
visit www.IDTechEx.com.
Media Contact:
Lucy Rogers
Marketing and Sales Administrator
press@IDTechEx.com
+44(0)1223 812300
Social Media Links:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/
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