Bombardier Transportation has won a contract to supply up to 117 FLEXITY trams to client Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) in Berlin.
Bombardier and BVG have signed a framework agreement for the delivery of a maximum of 117 FLEXITY trams and their spare parts supply for 32 years. The total value of this framework contract is approximately 571 million euros (693 million USD). BVG immediately placed a first order for 20 trams and their spare parts supply. This initial call-off is worth around 115 million euros (140 million USD).
“I would like to thank our customer BVG, for the confidence they have placed in us, and for the opportunity they have given us, to open yet another chapter in our thirty-year partnership, with this new order. We look forward to continuing to supply BVG with modern FLEXITY trams. For the first time with BVG, Bombardier is taking over the complete supply of spare parts and materials over the entire service life of the vehicles. We offer a fixed price per kilometre which gives BVG security in their long-term planning and calculations.”
The initial call-off will boost Berlin’s FLEXITY tram fleet by three five-car units and 17 nine-car units. The nine-car trams will have a length of 50m, which is 10m longer than the current BVG trams. The bogies for these trams are also low-noise, which will cut down on noise pollution for people in the city.
The floors are all on one level above the bogies. The entry height of the tram is reduced, which makes the trams accessible. It will also allow passengers to board and alight faster so that the trams can adhere better to their scheduled timetables.
The trams will be equipped with Bombardier’s obstacle detection assistance system (ODAS), which will help avoid collisions.
Berlin currently has a fleet of 231 FLEXITY trams, the last of which will be delivered in 2021. Once Bombardier has delivered on this latest order, BVG will have a FLEXITY tram fleet of 251.
