This is the Moscow Metro's first onboard battery project to prevent trains from being stranded between stations in the event of a power outage and is part of the city's ambitious program to upgrade its transportation system. The batteries allow trains to operate autonomously on their own power for distances of up to 6.5 km and on gradients of up to four percent, the maximum on the network.
Maurice Leroy, advisor to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, said: “Adding emergency traction batteries to our metro cars 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 goal is to improve mobility and quality of life, while also helping to drive economic development, making Moscow the best city in the world.”
Saft is beginning to deliver cells and accessories for the first trains, which will be manufactured in 2020 under a contract that could eventually be extended to 1,376 battery kits for a total of 172 metro trains.
MWM and TMH developed the battery system design in collaboration with technical experts and support from Saft. The operator selected batteries with proven nickel technology for underground tunnels. The cells installed beneath the floor of the new trains are based on the well-established "Moskva" design, which will be used on several of the city's metro lines.
Saft's MSX cells are up to 30 percent lighter and 40 percent smaller than conventional onboard backup batteries thanks to their compact and durable design. They also operate over a wide temperature range and will deliver specific performance down to -40°C to withstand the extremely low temperatures of the Russian winter, for the overland sections of Moscow.
The MSX cells are designed and manufactured at Saft's factory in Bordeaux, France, and Saft's Russia office provides technical support throughout the project to ensure easy certification and import, as well as after-sales support.
