France: The first four-car battery-electric train began carrying passengers in France’s Sud region at the end of July, and a month later a second, three-car unit entered service in Occitanie. It’s the country’s first experience running multiple-unit rolling stock commercially on battery traction.
Both trains started out as hybrid diesel-electric units of the B82500 and B81500 series, built in the 2000s by Bombardier Transportation (acquired by Alstom in 2021), before being converted at Alstom’s plant in Crespin, France. On each train the diesel engines have been swapped out for lithium-ion batteries from Switzerland’s Leclanché, with a combined capacity of 840 kWh (see video). These are said to give a range of more than 80 km on battery power alone, plus energy savings of up to 20% through regenerative braking. The batteries are expected to last 10 years.
Launch of the first battery-electric train into commercial operation in France. Source: France 3 Occitanie
The first train now runs the partially electrified Avignon–Carpentras route, charging under the overhead line as it goes. The second covers the 21 km non-electrified Nîmes–Vauvert line, charging only while parked at the terminus.
Battery-electric train after conversion by Alstom. Source: Railway PRO
The project is being run by national operator SNCF together with Alstom and five regions, at a cost of more than €41 mln: €6 mln from SNCF, €5.5 mln from Alstom, and €30 mln from the regions. The prototype was built and tested back in 2023, a second train was converted in 2024, and a third followed in early 2026. It was the second unit that went through the full testing cycle and was cleared for service in April 2026; the first train isn’t running yet, though it’s expected to start on regional routes out of Bordeaux before long. Two more conversions were originally planned, but there’s no word yet on timing.
Battery-electric train after conversion by Alstom. Source: Bogdan Vulturescu/LinkedIn
France is also running a parallel project adding traction batteries to hybrid Régiolis trains (built by Alstom until 2022, and by CAF since), though these keep their diesel engines as well. The first unit was converted in 2021, tested at the Velim track in the Czech Republic, and has been in trial service since 2023. Wider rollout across the whole Régiolis fleet was once on the table, but there has been no news on that front for a while.
