Kawasaki Heavy To Test Battery-Fueled Train

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. testing a light rail vehicle powered by a nickel-hydride battery, The Nikkei Business Daily reports. The firm intends to start taking orders in 2009.

Kawasaki will spend some ¥400M to add a roughly 2km extension to the test track at its Harima plant in Hyogo Prefecture. The track includes curves and other characteristics typical of actual operational conditions in an urban setting. The vehicle will run on both grid-power and energy accumulated in its batteries, allowing it to operate in areas without overhead wires.

The vehicle employs nickel-hydride batteries installed below the passenger seats. Its engine acts as a generator when slowing down or braking, with the resulting energy used to recharge the batteries.