Hyperdrive Innovation and Hitachi Rail to develop battery tech for trains
Hyperdrive Innovation and Hitachi Rail are to develop battery packs to power trains and create a battery hub in the North East of England.
Hitachi Rail analysis estimates the potential market for Hyperdrive and Hitachi’s battery technology is over 400 trains.
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“The partnership with Hyperdrive creates shovel-ready opportunity for new battery trains to be ordered now,” said Andrew Barr, Group CEO, Hitachi Rail. “As well as new trains, this is also a window of opportunity to cut carbon and supercharge a green recovery in the North East and across the UK.”
Hitachi has identified its fleets of 275 trains as potential early recipients of the batteries for use in the UK, as well as installing them on new metro and intercity trains.
According to Hitachi, a widespread adoption of battery train technology could help to create a market for Hyperdrive Innovation to increase its manufacturing capability up to 30,000 battery packs per year and double the number of jobs at its HYVE factory in Sunderland.
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