Keeping the Moscow Metro moving
Passengers travelling on the Moscow Metro can be sure they will reach their destination safely even during a power outage thanks to high-performance batteries installed on board the city’s newest metro trains.
Train builder Metrowagonmash (MWM) wanted to ensure that the “Moskva-2020” trains can travel even the longest and steepest sections of track on battery power. That makes them the city’s first trains with emergency traction.
Maurice Leroy, advisor to Moscow’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin, said: “Adding emergency traction batteries to our metro is just the latest example of how Moscow is transforming its public transport network to be safer, more convenient and more comfortable for passengers. Our aim is to improve mobility and quality of life, while helping to drive economic development, making Moscow the world’s best city.”
Safety, performance and size
Space is tight in Moscow’s tunnels – and this gave MWM and its parent company Transmashholding (TMH) the challenge of finding a battery to fit into the limited space under the train floor.
MWM chose Saft’s MSX cells to form the heart of its battery systems. These are up to 30 percent lighter and 40 percent smaller than similar competitor batteries. That made them the only solution on the market able to meet the requirements for safety, performance and size.
Based on nickel battery technology, MSX cells are proven to be inherently safe for passenger services running through Moscow’s underground tunnels. The cells are also capable of providing power for overground sections of the tracks in winters as cold as -40 ˚C.
Ilya Petrov, Saft’s sales manager in Russia said: “Since the beginning of the project, Saft Russia worked closely with MWM and TMH specialists to support them in the design, installation and commissioning of the battery system. Saft specialists also provided support during the metro tests to ensure optimization of the battery and traction systems in operation.”
The first of the new-generation Moskva-2020 trains started operation in October 2020 and Saft is now delivering batteries and accessories under a contract that could eventually extend to 1,376 battery kits for a total of 172 trains.