The World's First Commercial Carbon Fiber Subway Train Has Officially Been Launched And Is Expected To Be Put Into Operation Within The Year.

The world's first commercial carbon fiber subway train has officially been launched and is expected to be put into operation within the year.

In the field of rail transit technology, vehicle lightweighting-reducing the body weight as much as possible while ensuring vehicle performance to lower operational energy consumption-is a key technology for achieving green and low-carbon rail vehicles.

Traditional subway vehicles primarily use metals such as steel and aluminum alloys, which face weight reduction limitations due to material properties. Carbon fiber, known as the "king of new materials," boasts advantages such as lightweight, high strength, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance. Its strength is more than five times that of steel, while its weight is less than one-fourth that of steel, making it an excellent material for lightweighting rail vehicles.

CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd. collaborated with Qingdao Metro Group and other organizations to tackle key technologies, including the integrated design of large and complex carbon fiber primary load-bearing structures, efficient and low-cost molding manufacturing, and comprehensive intelligent detection and maintenance. This systematic approach addressed the engineering application challenges and achieved, for the first time globally, the use of carbon fiber composite materials in the primary load-bearing structure of commercial subway vehicles.

The train's body, bogie frame, and other primary load-bearing structures are made of carbon fiber composite materials, resulting in a significant upgrade in vehicle performance. The train is lighter and more energy-efficient, has higher strength, greater environmental adaptability, and lower lifecycle operation and maintenance costs, providing various technical advantages.

Lighter Body, More Energy-Efficient Operation

By using carbon fiber composite materials, the vehicle achieves significant weight reduction. Compared to traditional metal subway vehicles, the carbon fiber subway train's body is 25% lighter, the bogie frame is 50% lighter, and the overall vehicle weight is reduced by approximately 11%. This results in a 7% decrease in operational energy consumption, allowing each train to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 130 tons annually, which is equivalent to reforesting 101 acres.

Higher Strength, Longer Structural Life

The train utilizes new high-performance carbon fiber composite materials, which not only achieve lightweighting but also enhance the body's strength. Additionally, compared to components made from traditional metal materials, the carbon fiber bogie frame exhibits greater impact resistance and superior fatigue performance, extending the structural lifespan.

Greater Environmental Adaptability

The lighter body of the train provides superior driving performance, not only meeting stricter axle load requirements for the tracks but also reducing wear on the wheels and rails. The train is equipped with advanced active radial technology, which actively controls the wheelsets as they navigate curves, significantly lowering wheel-rail wear and noise. Additionally, it uses more wear-resistant and heat-resistant carbon-ceramic brake discs, achieving weight reduction while meeting stringent braking performance needs.

Lower Lifecycle Operation and Maintenance Costs

Thanks to the application of lightweight carbon fiber materials and new technologies, the wheel-rail wear of the carbon fiber subway train is significantly reduced, leading to a substantial decrease in maintenance requirements for both the vehicles and the tracks. Furthermore, by employing digital twin technology, a SmartCare intelligent operation and maintenance platform for the carbon fiber train has been established, enabling self-detection and self-diagnosis of overall vehicle safety, structural health, and operational performance. This improves maintenance efficiency and reduces costs, resulting in a 22% reduction in lifecycle maintenance costs for the train.

In the field of carbon fiber technology for rail vehicles, CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd. leverages its industrial advantages and has built a comprehensive research and development, manufacturing, and validation platform through over a decade of accumulated research and collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and application. This has resulted in complete engineering capabilities ranging from carbon fiber structural design and development to molding manufacture, simulation, testing, and quality assurance, providing a one-stop solution throughout the entire lifecycle.

Currently, the carbon fiber subway train has completed factory type tests. According to the plan, it will be put into passenger demonstration operation on Qingdao Metro Line 1 within the year.

At present, in China's urban rail transit sector, minimizing energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions while creating an efficient, low-carbon green urban rail system is a top priority for industry development. This places higher demands on lightweighting technologies for rail vehicles.