CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) has placed into service six streetcars that include hybrid technology and an innovative battery storage system, developed by Siemens Mobility.
The streetcars entered service on August 21, 2021, according to a statement from Siemens, and will run wirelessly through uptown Charlotte, without the use of catenaries.
“We’re thrilled to bring state-of-the-art modern streetcar vehicles to Charlotte,” said CATS CEO John Lewis in a statement. “The overall design, amenities and technology will provide a first-class experience for our riders and community members.”
According to CATS, the streetcars will run on the second phase of the CityLYNX Gold Line, and will be replacing the legacy green and yellow trolleys that CATS operated previously.
The six S700 vehicles were ordered by the City of Charlotte in 2016, and now have all been delivered, according to Siemens.
Each of the six streetcars include what Siemes describes as “a hybrid wireless technology,” which the company notes will allow the streetcar to run and operate on- and off-wire via an onboard energy storage system (OESS).
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“The OESS includes an expandable and modular design that can be updated as our battery technology evolves,” the statement from Siemes reads.
According to the company statement, the vehicles will operate at speeds up to 25 mph and are capable of carrying nearly 195 passengers.
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