Tag: urban (Page 4 of 5)

Bombardier Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Germany’s First Automatic People Mover System

October 27, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

INNOVIA APM vehicles carry twelve million passengers annually at Frankfurt am Main Airport – with almost 100 percent reliability
The system’s 25-year anniversary corresponds with Fraport’s opening of Terminal 2

Bombardier’s Frankfurt team celebrating the 25th anniversary of successfully operating and maintaining the INNOVIA APM fleet at Frankfurt Airport.

Today, global mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation celebrates 25 years of fully automatic BOMBARDIER INNOVIA APM 100 people mover system’s operation at Frankfurt am Main Airport. The system and Fraport’s Terminal 2 opened on the same day 25 years ago. Since 1994, Germany’s first elevated passenger transport system called the SkyLine, has connected Terminals 1 and 2. With an average reliability of 99.83 percent, twelve million passengers and guests per year safely and comfortably arrive at their destinations in the terminals – around the clock.

“We’d like to congratulate our customer on this quarter century anniversary. We have a very successful and long-standing partnership with Fraport, which marks our joint success in moving millions of travelers between terminals at the Frankfurt Airport,” said Michael Fohrer, Head of Bombardier Transportation Germany.

“Fraport benefits from a high-performing turnkey transit system, which was not only manufactured by Bombardier, but also operated and maintained. I am grateful to all our committed and competent employees, without them this milestone would not have been possible,” emphasized Alexander Ketterl, Head of Sales and Delivery German cities at Bombardier Transportation.

Volker Maul, Head of the Bombardier team at Frankfurt Airport, can look back on the people mover system’s 25 years of service. “The excellent cooperation within our team and with our customer built the foundation for the system’s near 100 percent reliability. Bombardier’s operations and maintenance program is carefully designed to optimize system performance and ensure potential problems are identified and resolved before the service’s efficiency is compromised,” he explained.

Fraport’s fleet of 18 INNOVIA vehicles transport around thirty-five thousand passengers daily, on the 3.8 km route between departure terminals. During peak times, the trains depart every 90 seconds with each wagon carrying up to 60 passengers and their luggage.

In 1994, Fraport was the first German customer to invest in Bombardier’s driverless system, installed with the proven BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 550 signaling system. CITYFLO delivers the highest levels of safety while meeting customer demand for flexible, high-performance and cost-effective solutions. More than 30 Bombardier people mover systems are in successful operation worldwide, including urban areas such as Guangzhou and airports in London, Rome, Madrid, Phoenix, Dubai and Tampa among other cities.

Alstom Presents First Aptis Serial Vehicle at Busworld 2019

October 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

14 October 2019 – Alstom will present the first serial vehicle of its Aptis electric bus at Busworld 2019, being held in Brussels from 17 to 23 October. After the four prototypes that have been on the roads of many French and European cities for the past two years, this new design incorporates feedback from passengers and transport operators.

This first serial vehicle is based on an optimised global architecture requiring fewer spare parts references and considerably facilitating maintenance operations. Thanks to a wheel steering angle of more than 40°, its ease of insertion increases significantly. The 15% reduction in the total weight of the vehicle, combined with the use of new, more efficient and state of the art batteries, substantially increases range. Aptis now accommodates more passengers while still offering them more fluidity thanks to large sliding doors.

In addition to the technical improvements, Aptis can also boast significant improvements to passenger comfort. A new air-conditioning system that (fully electrical heat-pump) maximises thermal comfort and the panoramic rear lounge has been enhanced to give a feeling of increased space. The new hydraulic suspension allows superior comfort and sound insulation, making Aptis one of the quietest and most innovative buses on the market.

“Alstom and its teams are very proud to be presenting the first series version of Aptis. This concentration of innovations perfectly represents what we always envisaged the production version of the 100% electric mobility solution would be. This clean, green bus, with its elegant design and optimised technical performance, will offer a new experience to passengers and drivers while meeting the new mobility challenges of urban areas,” underlines Benjamin Bailly, head of Alstom’s electric bus platform.

Aptis has already been chosen by Paris in the context of Europe’s largest call for tender for electric buses, as well as by the cities of Strasbourg, Grenoble, La Rochelle and Toulon. Upcoming milestones include ongoing tests in Spain with the ground-based recharge solution SRS and the training of hundreds of drivers in a new driving experience ahead of the first traffic releases, scheduled for the end of the year in Strasbourg.

Manufacturing and testing of Aptis will be carried out at Alstom’s two sites in Alsace. The Hangenbieten site oversees manufacturing of the end modules (driver’s cab and rear lounge). Manufacturing of the central passenger module, final assembly and tests will be carried out at the Reichshoffen site. This scheme will allow serial production from the end of 2019 onwards. Five other Alstom sites in France contribute to the design and manufacture of Aptis: Saint-Ouen for system integration, Tarbes for traction, Ornans for engines, Villeurbanne for electronic components of the traction chain.

In order to complete Alstom’s vison of road electromobility, exhibited alongside Aptis at Busworld will also be SRS, a completely safe, ground-level, conductive, static recharge system allowing the charging of buses along their route or within depots. As a ground-based solution, it eliminates the need for overhead infrastructure in cities, preserving the aesthetics of the urban landscape. In depots, SRS avoids the infrastructure costs associated with overhead charging systems. SRS for e-buses is based on Alstom’s SRS static recharge technology for trams, a proven solution already in operation in Nice, France. It is developed at Alstom’s Vitrolles site.

Porsche and Boeing Partner on Premium Urban Air Mobility Market

October 10, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

– Companies sign MOU to investigate product development for premium market

– Builds on efforts to develop new urban air mobility ecosystem

STUTTGART, Germany and CHICAGO, Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Porsche and Boeing [NYSE: BA] signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the premium urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. With this partnership, both companies will leverage their unique market strengths and insights to study the future of premium personal urban air mobility vehicles.

“Porsche is looking to enhance its scope as a sports car manufacturer by becoming a leading brand for premium mobility. In the longer term, this could mean moving into the third dimension of travel,” says Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. “We are combining the strengths of two leading global companies to address a potential key market segment of the future.”

As part of the partnership, the companies will create an international team to address various aspects of urban air mobility, including analysis of the market potential for premium vehicles and possible use cases.

Boeing, Porsche and Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences are also developing a concept for a fully electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. Engineers from both companies, as well as Porsche subsidiaries Porsche Engineering Services GmbH and Studio F.A. Porsche, will implement and test a prototype.

“This collaboration builds on our efforts to develop a safe and efficient new mobility ecosystem, and provides an opportunity to investigate the development of a premium urban air mobility vehicle with a leading automotive brand,” said Steve Nordlund, Vice President and General Manager of Boeing NeXt, an organization that is laying the foundation for a next-generation mobility ecosystem in which autonomous and piloted vehicles can safely coexist. “Porsche and Boeing together bring precision engineering, style and innovation to accelerate urban air mobility worldwide.”

A 2018 study by Porsche Consulting forecasts that the urban air mobility market will pick up speed after 2025. The study also indicates that urban air mobility solutions will transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport, at a lower cost and with greater flexibility.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

Bombardier Confirms 3 Year East Midlands Railway Contract

August 22, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

New contract reaffirms long-standing relationships with Abellio and with Eversholt Rail
Derby Etches Park depot to maintain Bombardier Class 222s for East Midlands Railway mainline services until 2022

Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation has announced today that it has signed a new Train Services Agreement (TSA) with Abellio and Eversholt Rail for the new East Midlands Railway franchise in the United Kingdom. Under the new agreement which lasts from today until December 31, 2022, Bombardier will maintain Bombardier class 222 diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) trains at Derby Etches Park depot for use on East Midlands Railway mainline services. The new agreement follows Bombardier’s previous role in maintaining the 125 miles per hour trains for the former East Midlands Trains franchise. The contract is valued at approximately £133 million GBP ($161 million US, €145 million euro).

Phil Hufton, President, Bombardier Transportation UK said, “We are delighted that we have reached agreement with Abellio to maintain the Class 222 fleet for East Midlands Railway’s mainline services. This important contract win is testament to our team at Derby Etches Park and their hard work and professionalism in continually delivering one of the highest performing and most reliable Intercity fleets.”

Steve Timothy, Client Relations Director, Eversholt Rail said, “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Bombardier Transportation to support the delivery of our Class 222 trains for the Sheffield – London mainline service to Abellio East Midlands Railway from 19th August”.

Under the Train Services Agreement, maintenance of the 27-strong fleet of Class 222 trains will take place at Derby Etches Park depot, where 130 staff are employed, with heavy component maintenance taking place at Bombardier Crewe.

Bombardier, Orascom, and Arab Contractors Win Egypt Monorail Contract

August 5, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Bombardier Transportation, Orascom Construction PLC and Arab Contractors have signed an agreement today with National Authority for Tunnels in Cairo to design and build two new monorail lines in Egypt. On completion of the construction phase, the consortium will be responsible for the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of both lines for 30 years. The total value of the design, build and O&M contract exceeds $4.5 billion US (4.1 billion euro). Bombardier Transportation´s share is $2.85 billion US (2.6 billion euro). Orascom Construction’s share of the overall contract is close to $900 million US. The agreement is subject to final signatures of supplementary documents.

Danny Di Perna, President of Bombardier Transportation, said, “To be selected as the monorail system supplier in Egypt is a great privilege and our fully-automated monorail system is the smart mobility solution for Cairo’s urban future.” He added, “Our INNOVIA Monorail 300 technology has proved to be a game changer in the industry, as it allows fast construction of high capacity transit lines at lower costs. With its advanced technology, unmatched safety features and attractive aerodynamic design, this proven platform will dramatically improve the quality of life for millions of residents by significantly reducing their daily commuting time as well as reducing traffic congestion and its impact on the city.”

H.E. Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Danny Di Perna, President of Bombardier Transportation, H.E. Abelfattah Elsisi , President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Kamel ElWazir, Minister of Transportation, Oscar Vazquez – President GROW Region Bombardier Transportation and H.E. Dr Assem Elgazzar, Minister of Housing, Utilities and New Urban Communities

Orascom Construction will design and build all infrastructure and civil works, including stations, guideway structures and new depot buildings.

Bombardier will design, supply and install the electrical and mechanical (E&M) equipment for the two lines including 70 four-car BOMBARDIER INNOVIA Monorail 300 trains (280 cars), BOMBARDIER CITYFLO 650 signalling and automatic train control technology, the Operation Control Centre, communication systems, platform screen doors and fare collection, power supply / power distribution systems as well as switch beams and depot equipment. It will also provide the overall E&M system integration, project management, systems engineering and integration, test and commissioning for the trains and signalling as well as operations and maintenance of the vehicles and wayside systems.

Monorail systems are perfect for congested cities needing a fast and cost-effective to build mass transit solution and the INNOVIA Monorail 300 system provides flagship performance in driverless operations. The compact, elevated system enables easy urban integration into existing infrastructure, and its iconic aesthetics and attractive infrastructure will help to shape Cairo’s identity as a modern thriving city.

Alstom’s New-Generation Citadis Tram for Caen la Mer

July 29, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has commissioned its new-generation Citadis X05 tram on the three new lines of Caen la Mer. Presided over by Joël Bruneau, President of the Urban Community of Caen la Mer, and Rodolphe Thomas, First Vice-President of Caen la Mer, in charge of transport, travel and infrastructure, the inauguration took place in the presence of Jean-Léonce Dupont, President of Calvados region, Hervé Morin, President of Normandy region, Agnès Monfret, EU delegate, Stéphane Guyon, general Secretary of Calvados Prefecture and Emmanuel Bois, Sales Director for Alstom in France.

“Just one year after the first tram was presented at the La Rochelle site, it is with great pride that Alstom and its teams take part in this inauguration. Thanks to their reliability, availability and ease of maintenance, we have total confidence in the ability of the 26 Citadis trams to meet the growing mobility requirements of the inhabitants of the Urban Community of Caen la Mer,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, Senior Vice President France at Alstom.

33 metres long and featuring 6 double doors on each side, the Citadis X05 for Caen la Mer can carry more than 210 passengers. It has 6 extra-wide passenger information screens, large windows covering 45% of the vehicle and will offer USB charging sockets, a first in France. In addition, the Citadis X05 for the Urban Community of Caen la Mer can climb slopes with gradients of up to 8% and has standardised, proven and more accessible components. Last but not least, the tram demonstrates a particularly high level of performance in terms of environmental sustainability, thanks in particular to its 100% LED lighting and optimised air conditioning. It is particularly energy efficient and 95% recyclable.

Eight of Alstom’s 13 sites in France designed and manufactured the Citadis trams for the Urban Community of Caen la Mer: La Rochelle (design, assembly, validation, commercial entry into service and warranty), Ornans (engines), Le Creusot (bogies), Tarbes (traction modules), Valenciennes (interior layout), Villeurbanne (on-board computerised systems), Aix en Provence (tachymetry, for measuring travel speed) and Saint-Ouen (design).In total, more than 2,600 Citadis trams have been sold to more than 50 cities in 20 countries.

China Southern Airlines to receive $4 billion capital injection

July 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China Southern Airlines will carry out an equity diversification plan that will involve the injection of 30 billion yuan ($4.36 billion) of capital from three investors, the firm announced on Saturday.

The Guangdong Hengjian Investment Holding Corporation, the Guangzhou Urban Construction Investment Group and the Shenzhen Penghang Equity Investment Fund will each inject 10 billion yuan into the airline, as part of the country’s efforts to diversify ownership structures among state-owned firms.

The move will significantly improve the company’s debt-to-asset ratio, generate funds for its growth and help modernize its decision-making mechanisms, the announcement said.

It will also use the funds to serve its main air transportation business, pay for construction related to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and support aviation development in cities in the southern province of Guangdong.

China Southern is one of 96 enterprises owned and administered directly by the central government. Its profits slumped nearly 50% last year as a result of rising fuel costs and a weak yuan currency.

(Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Fiat Bets On Electric ‘500’ As It Moves On From Renault

July 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: A Fiat Chrysler Automobiles sign is seen at the U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan,

TURIN, Italy (Reuters) – Fiat Chrysler plans to invest 700 million euros ($788 million) in an electric makeover of its iconic Fiat 500, a top executive said on Thursday, as the automaker seeks to move on from its failed bid to merge with France’s Renault.

FCA’s chief operating officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Pietro Gorlier, announced the investment – the Italian-American company’s biggest single bet on an electric vehicle – at its Mirafiori plant in Turin, northern Italy.

“The plan is confirmed,” Gorlier told reporters, when asked if FCA’s investment in electric vehicle technology would remain unchanged after its $35 billion plan to merge with Renault, an electric car pioneer, collapsed last month.

He said FCA would invest the 700 million euros to build a new production line at Mirafiori to turn out 80,000 of the new 500 BEV, its first battery electric vehicle to be marketed in Europe after a smaller, initial foray in the United States.

Production will start in the second quarter of 2020, with capacity to be expanded later, Gorlier said.

The 500 compact car is one of the group’s most famous models, launched by then Fiat in the late 1950s and quickly becoming a symbol of Italian urban design.

The 700 million euros investment is part of a plan announced last year to invest 5 billion euros in Italy up to 2021.

In abandoning its merger offer for Renault, FCA blamed French politics for scuttling what would have been a landmark deal to create the world’s third-biggest automaker.

($1 = 0.8878 euros)

(By Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Mark Bendeich and Mark Potter)

Alstom to Supply 32 Additional DT5 Metros for Hamburg

June 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

28 June 2019 – Alstom, in consortium with Bombardier Transportation, will supply 32 further DT5 metro trains to Hamburger Hochbahn AG (Hochbahn) for a total amount of 186 million euros. Alstom’s share of the contract amounts to over 100 million euros. As part of this contract, Alstom will supply the mechanical part, the bogies and the mechanical braking system, while Bombardier will supply the electrical equipment, the driving system, the passenger information system and the vehicle control system. The trains will be assembled at Alstom’s site in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony. The new trains are to be put into service from January 2021 onwards.

“For many years now, our vehicles have been shaping mobility in Hamburg. This order confirms that customers and passengers are satisfied with our vehicles and will continue to rely on the DT5 trains in the future. With this order we will have delivered a total of 163 vehicles to Hamburg. This is a proof of our long-standing, trusting and sustainable cooperation with Hochbahn”, says Dr. Jörg Nikutta, Managing Director for Alstom in Germany and Austria.

The DT5 metro fleet has been in operation in Hamburg since autumn 2012. The Hochbahn has now ordered a total of 163 metro trains of this generation in order to cope with the increasing number of passengers in the city. In the past, Alstom had already delivered the DT2, DT3 and DT4 fleets – a total of 462 trains – to the Hamburg subway system.

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and the eighth largest city in the European Union. In order to meet the needs of such a large urban population, the DT5 was designed as a modern, spacious subway with wide corridors, a continuous interior and multi-purpose areas adapted to new passenger needs. Each of the 40 meter long three-car trains has 96 seats, 240 standing spaces and two additional wheelchair spaces. The DT5 also offers high passenger comfort, such as air conditioning, passenger information and monitoring systems as well as automatic door closing.

The DT5 subways are environmentally friendly. Their lightweight stainless steel car bodies and regenerative braking system contribute to improving energy efficiency. The vehicles are very quiet, which makes the Hamburg subway one of the quietest in the world.

As part of the Hamburg Senate’s bidding offensive, Hochbahn is expanding its range of services by an average of around five percent per year over the next three years. The new services include significantly tighter metro intervals and a massive expansion of the bus service with new express and area buses. The latest subway generation (DT5) is now to be increased by 32 vehicles and up to 163 vehicles at a later stage.

Boeing to Work with Kitty Hawk on Flying Cars and Safety

June 26, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Kitty Hawk,the flying car company backed by Google’s Larry Page and led by Udacity co-founder Sebastian Thrun, has struck a deal with aerospace giant Boeing.

The terms of the strategic partnership are vague. But it appears the two companies will collaborate on urban air mobility, particularly around safety and how autonomous and piloted vehicles will co-exist.

Kitty Hawk’s portfolio of vehicles includes Cora, a two-person air taxi, and Flyer, a vehicle for personalized flight. The partnership is focused on the fully electric, self-piloting flying taxi Cora, according to the announcement.

Click the link below for the full story and video!

https ://techcrunch.com/2019/06/25/boeing-is-going-to-work-with-kitty-hawk-on-flying-cars-and-safety/?yptr=yahoo

Archives