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Battery-powered trains may soon become more commonplace in the UK as their diesel-engine counterparts approach retirement. Current trains derive their power from either overhead electrified wires or onboard diesel generators. By contrast, battery-powered trains draw their energy from lithium batteries, which can recharge on electrified tracks or while stationary. As a result, they help the rail industry reduce the expense of erecting overhead wires on unelectrified tracks. Moreover, testing at Hitachi’s plant in northeast England has resulted in the creation of a “tri-mode” train which can use 50% less fuel by switching between the two modes using a diesel generator with one lithium battery pack. The manufacturer is now developing a train model without diesel generators, which it anticipates will travel up to 90 km on unelectrified stretches of track.
Siemens, in turn, is developing its battery-only trains, with orders from operators including ScotRail, Greater Western Railway, and Transport for Wales to produce over 600 trains. Other electric train models also exist in countries such as Japan and Germany. However, safety concerns have been raised over lithium batteries and their potential fire risk. Lithium batteries are in fact much less likely to catch fire than diesel or petrol cars, and Nissan Leaf cells used by Hitachi have proved robust. Yet a damaged or corrupted cell may undergo thermal runaway and self-ignite.
Experts consequently note that more safety measures must be introduced as electric transport expands across the country. Hitachi has responded with considerable testing and the creation of contingencies in the event of a battery fire. This includes software regulation and monitoring of the cells, heat shields around each cell, and a cooling unit on the roof to regulate the temperature of the batteries. The cells can also operate independently of one another, allowing the train to be moved if necessary while a cell burns. Despite these measures, it is important for the rail industry to continue to assess and monitor the fire-safety considerations specific to battery trains
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