Technological Innovations in Rail Transit Carriages Lead the New Trend of Green and Intelligent Mobility

In recent years, the rail transit industry has continuously made breakthroughs in technological innovation, bringing a better travel experience to passengers and promoting the industry's development towards green and intelligent directions.

On January 10, 2025, the world's first carbon fiber metro train "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Express" was officially put into operation on Qingdao Metro Line 1, marking a significant milestone in the rail transit field. Compared with traditional metal metro vehicles, the carbon fiber metro vehicle reduces the body weight by 25%, the bogie frame by 50%, and the whole vehicle by about 11%. Due to the advantages of carbon fiber, such as light weight, high strength, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance, the "Carbon Star Express" not only reduces operational energy consumption by 7% and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by about 130 tons per train per year, but also reduces maintenance costs by 22%, minimizes wheel-rail wear, and enhances body strength, providing passengers with a more comfortable riding experience. This innovation fills the international gap in the commercial application of carbon fiber composites in the main bearing structure of metro vehicles, realizing a new upgrade of lightweight and green metro trains in China, and marking a new stage in the application of carbon fiber composites in the rail transit sector.

In terms of improving carriage comfort, good news came from China Railway Sixth Survey and Design Institute Group Co., Ltd. The patent titled "A Dual-Purpose Cooling and Heating System for Rail Transit" applied by the institute was published by the National Intellectual Property Administration. Through the collaborative operation of multiple modules, including the carriage information setting module, visual detection module, control module, cooling module, and heating module, the patent can automatically adjust the carriage temperature according to actual needs, achieving both cooling and heating functions while reducing energy loss, which meets environmental protection requirements. This innovative patent will effectively solve the problem of temperature discomfort faced by passengers in carriages during winter, enhance the travel experience through precise temperature control, and lead the rail transit industry towards intelligence and comfort.

In Chengdu, the rail transit industry is also striving for a "good start" in high-quality development. This year, the trains on Chengdu Metro Line 13 Phase I and Line 30 Phase I promoted by Chengdu Rail Transit Group adopt the highest-level fully automated operation system. Among them, the Line 13 Phase I train is the first domestic suburban fully automated operation train with a speed of 140 km/h, and Line 30 Phase I is the first national metro line with "conventional full automation + vehicle-to-vehicle communication". These trains have the capabilities of independent operation, planning, and decision-making, and are equipped with "smart eyes" to real-time detect obstacles in front of the train, comprehensively ensuring the safety of fully automated operation. Meanwhile, the vehicle design pays attention to details, such as the intelligent production of air conditioners for Line 30 Phase I trains, which will make the temperature in the carriage more suitable and the train operation more energy-efficient in the future.

In addition, the first train of Binhai New Area Rail Transit Line B1 also has many highlights. The train adopts a 6-car A-type aluminum alloy formation, making breakthroughs in appearance design, comfort indicators, safety indicators, and intelligent design. The integrated design of the seat backrest and side wall panels, the first of its kind in domestic metros, not only conforms to ergonomics to make passengers' waists more comfortable but also visually broadens the carriage space. The vehicle is also equipped with intelligent devices such as a radar collision warning system and a fine water mist fire control system to ensure safety, and the entire train is configured with a vehicle health management system to achieve self-reporting and pre-judgment of faults.

Rail transit carriages continue to advance on the path of technological innovation. From material innovation to the application of intelligent systems, from improving comfort to enhancing safety, every progress embodies the efforts of researchers and industry practitioners. These innovative achievements not only bring more convenient, comfortable, and safe travel experiences to passengers but also inject new momentum into the sustainable development of the rail transit industry, leading the entire industry to continuously move towards green and intelligent directions. It is believed that in the future, with the continuous progress of technology, rail transit carriages will bring more surprises and conveniences.