New zero-carbon train vehicles to be built in the Midlands

3 new, battery-powered train vehicles are to be built in the Midlands by Transport Design International (TDI) for passenger trials, funded by Eversholt Rail.

These innovative lightweight passenger trains contain zero emissions and will help decarbonise Britain’s railways, with the first vehicle ready for passenger operation in 2026.

Following on from successful RVLR Demonstrator trials and testing in Ironbridge, Shropshire, over the past two years, this represents the next major step towards series production.

Sam Wauchope, Chairman of Transport Design International said, “This joint investment is fantastic news for RVLR, and we are looking forward to working with Eversholt Rail to deliver this ground breaking product that will modernise lower-density parts of the UK rail network with an environmentally sustainable and economic solution.

TDI is investing in a new manufacturing facility for these vehicles, and as part of this programme we are developing our in-service charging technology, an essential for battery-only operations. To ensure we remain at the cutting edge of this emerging technology, TDI is supported by Innovate UK for its ongoing technological developments in this sector. The innovation and light-weighting technology behind RVLR is superb and we are immensely proud of our UK-based engineering team”.

Mary Kenny, CEO Eversholt Rail said, “This substantial further investment by Eversholt Rail demonstrates our commitment to delivering innovative, sustainable and attractive new rail products for the UK market. We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Transport Design International.”