The first passenger train in history constructed in China is composed of carbon fibre, which makes it significantly lighter and more energy-efficient than traditional trains. On July 17, the Carbon Star Rapid Transit, also known as Cetrovo 1.0, the metro train, was unveiled in Qingdao, Shandong.
It has completed in-factory testing and is ready to go into operation later this year. The train’s main load-bearing structures, including the car body and bogie frame, are built with carbon fibre composite materials, making them 25 per cent and 50 per cent lighter than conventional trains. In general, it weighs 11 per cent less than a conventional train and uses 75 per cent less energy, which saves around 130 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
The train is designed with a top speed of 140 km (87 miles) per hour and is fully automated and driverless. It can move on curved or steep rails and function in challenging conditions like high elevations and temperatures. Reducing the weight of traditional metro trains, which are constructed of steel, aluminium alloy, and other metal elements, has proven to be quite difficult. Carbon fibre is perfect for use in trains, sports equipment, and aeroplanes because it is five times stronger than steel while weighing less than a fifth of the latter. The train also has an unique early warning system for collisions and obstacle recognition that may detect danger and stop the train automatically.
However, carbon fibre is still relatively high compared to steel or aluminium due to the fact that it is still an expensive material to manufacture due to the time taken to develop it and the high cost of the raw materials used in developing carbon fibre.