Germany: The Institute for Rail Vehicles and Transport Systems (IFS) at RWTH Aachen University has been developing the Aachen Rail Shuttle (ARS) since 2020.
The idea behind the train is to provide an alternative to conventional trains that can run autonomously every 10–15 minutes on low-traffic lines.
According to IFS, the modular railbus is 13.5 m long. Its chassis with drive and traction batteries was developed in cooperation with the German companies Schaeffler and Knorr-Bremse. The body will be manufactured by LBBZ, a partner for machining and manufacturing with laser technology. There will be several versions: with or without a driver’s cab (driverless operation is under development) and a cargo version.
The Aachen Rail Shuttle (ARS) from the Institute for Rail Vehicles and Transport Systems. Source: IFS
A similar battery-powered light rail vehicle for short-distance lines is being developed in France, led by the national operator SNCF.
