BERLIN, GERMANY--(Marketwire - September 5, 2012) - Rail technology leader Bombardier Transportation announced today that its Chinese joint venture, Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd., has been awarded a variation order by the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR).
After reviewing its operational strategy, the MOR decided to vary its original order of 80 very high speed trains from 2009 to include 70 eight-car BOMBARDIER ZEFIRO 380 trains, 46 ZEFIRO 250 stainless steel trains and 60 ZEFIRO 250NG trains. This variation provides MOR with increased flexibility in delivering its passenger services. The original contract value from 2009 remains unchanged.
The 70 ZEFIRO 380 trains are Bombardier's most technologically advanced rail vehicles built to date. Designed to operate at speeds of up to 380 km/h, the trains incorporate industry-leading technical solutions in aerodynamics, propulsion and bogies. The new BOMBARDIER FLEXX Speed bogie has been developed especially for this VHS application. The trains are powered by the highly energy efficient BOMBARDIER MITRAC propulsion and control system and incorporate energy-saving BOMBARDIER ECO4 technologies that deliver the lowest energy consumption per seat of any VHS train in the world today.
The proven ZEFIRO 250 train is already operating in various parts of China. An existing fleet of 115 trains, 1,200 cars in total is currently in service.
The ZEFIRO 250NG is a newly developed product designed to meet the future demands of the Chinese rail market. An evolution of the ZEFIRO 250 train, it features numerous technological advances to ensure Bombardier's competitiveness in this rapidly expanding market. These include a new aluminium carbody to reduce weight and ensure passenger comfort at high speeds as well as an enhanced propulsion system to guarantee performance and reliability. With optimized aerodynamics and energy efficient operation the ZEFIRO 250NG follows the same approach as the faster version ZEFIRO 380.
Anders Lindberg, President Mainline and Metros, Bombardier Transportation said: "This variation order supports the global strategic shift towards rail as the backbone of national transportation infrastructure. Our ZEFIRO family of high speed trains plays a crucial role in China's development of a fully interconnected transport system that eases congestion and boosts the economy."
Jianwei Zhang, President of Bombardier China, added: "China has a clear vision of the role the world's largest high speed rail network will play in supporting sustainable transportation for the 21st century. The country is selecting the most advanced technologies to build a network that offers not only high speed but also unprecedented operating efficiency, reliability and capacity."
About Bombardier in China
As the world's largest rail equipment manufacturer, Bombardier Transportation is actively involved in China's development of urban mass transit and advanced railway networks. With three joint ventures and seven Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises (WFOE), Bombardier currently employs more than 4,000 people in China. It has offices located in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. In addition to its rail transportation operations, Bombardier is a leading manufacturer of business aircraft for China and an important supplier to the Chinese regional commercial aircraft market. Bombardier's longstanding business relationship with China began 50 years ago. A detailed overview of Bombardier's presence in China is available at www.cn.bombardier.com.
About Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation, a global leader in rail technology, offers the broadest portfolio in the rail industry and delivers innovative products and services that set new standards in sustainable mobility. BOMBARDIER ECO4 technologies - built on the four cornerstones of energy, efficiency, economy and ecology - conserve energy, protect the environment and help to improve total train performance for operators and passengers. Bombardier Transportation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and has a very diverse customer base with products or services in more than 60 countries. It has an installed base of over 100,000 vehicles worldwide.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world's only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.
Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, we posted revenues of $18.3 billion USD. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.