Converting Adelaide Metro into Australia’s first-ever diesel-hybrid train fleet

ABB traction battery technology has enabled 44 Adelaide Metro train sets to be converted to diesel-hybrid operation, with a further 6 sets to be converted in the coming months. The solution has reduced noise and emissions to  improve the travel experience for the nearly 16 million commuters a year  who use the service.

South Australia’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) approached ABB Australia in 2022 to make Adelaide Metro’s 50 train sets more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The aim was to reduce diesel engine noise and exhaust fumes to improve the transit experience of the near 16 million commuters a year who rely on the service.

To deliver on this mandate, ABB has already converted 44 of the train sets and will convert another 6, to create Australia’s first diesel-hybrid fleet capable of switching seamlessly between operating on diesel power or battery-electric power. The project included the installation of innovative BORDLINE® lithium-ion based onboard traction batteries, traction  integration modules, and energy management systems, enabling significant savings in energy consumption.