Electric bullet freight trains
Recently the fastest freight train was launched in China. The train manufacturer CRRC in Tangshan have developed an aerodynamic train that can reach a speed of 350 km/h. The previous record for a freight train was 180 km/h, held by Mercitalia in Italy. 85% of the total CRRC train area can be used for freight.
The CRRC train includes eight wagons and 2.9-metre-wide doors to enable swift loading and unloading. The train is robust sustains temperature span of -25 degrees to +40 degrees Celsius. Due to the speed ability of the train, it has a range of 1500 km in five ours. Given the enormous size of China and transport distances the train will substantially improve domestic freight distribution.
By the end of 2035, the domestic railway network will include in total 200 000
km of rail tracks whereof approximately 70 000 km are high speed tracks.
A major challenge for these trains is their electric power support based mainly on fossil energy sources and linked emissions of greenhouse gases. Electric power in China emits approximately 800 g/kWh meanwhile electricity in EU28 emits close to 400 g/kWh. In Sweden the average electric production emits 38 g/kWh, but since the Swedish Transport Administration buys production specified electricity the rail electricity emissions are roughly 10 g/kWh. If China would be able to transform railway electric generation based on renewable sources the domestic freight distribution by rail would accomplish substantial climate gains.
