Germany: On 2 February, a pair of three-car Coradia Continental (Series 1440.4) units was running in multiple on the 81 km line between Leipzig and Chemnitz for the first time. There are reportedly 300 seats for passengers in a configuration of two trains which have hybrid traction from catenary and batteries.
The Coradia Continental reportedly features a range of 120 km. Based on the Coradia 1440.3 EMU, the new train is additionally equipped with a battery pack of 840 kWh. The batteries are recharged from the overhead line by means of pantographs at the end stations.
Coradia Continental BEMU from Alstom in Germany. Source: Freie Presse
The whole fleet of 11 three-car trains ordered by the Central Saxony passenger operator VMS in 2020 is due to enter service by mid-June. The launch was initially scheduled for December 2023, but Alstom delayed the delivery for two years. The postponement was explained by the necessity to refine the battery module and software. Among other reasons, the French manufacturer named the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.
