Bombardier and Innsbruck Transport Authority IVB launch Austria’s first LED tram

The first BOMBARDIER FLEXITY tram fully equipped with eco-friendly LED lamps has started operating in Innsbruck. The external lights were changed to LED earlier this year following an upgrade of the interior lighting last year.

IVB Managing Director, Martin Baltes, said: “This premiere is testament to the good cooperation between IVB and Bombardier. The lifespan of LED lamps is 100 times longer than conventional lamps. The Innsbruck fleet could save up to 5,722.08 euro annually and 27 tons of CO2 – an emission equivalent to more than 170,500 km of car travel. The total energy savings of up to 44 megawatt hours (=44,000 kW/h) equal the electricity consumption of approximately 11 homes over a year. The annual electricity consumption of all our trams is currently almost 5.5 milion kW/h.”

The fleet of 32 FLEXITY trams has been operating successfully in Innsbruck since 2008. It forms an integral part of the continuously improving public transport in the Innsbruck region, which is one of the Alps’ economic hubs. The FLEXITY trams were tailored specifically to the needs of IVB and its network. They are specially designed to operate at 600 and 750 volts to cover not only the urban network but also the 18 km long Stubaital line to Fulpmes in Tyrol, Austria.

“Another successful joint innovation by Bombardier and IVB is the BOMBARDIER FLEXX Care service contract signed in October 2012. It ensures low maintenance costs and long-term efficiency by bundling core competencies,” Baltes said.

Bombardier provides the servicing know-how while the work is carried out by IVB employees on their premises on behalf of Bombardier. This service concept contributes to high vehicle availability and reliability, thereby raising customer satisfaction.

Christian Diewald, Director Sales Austria, Bombardier Transportation, added: “Continuous improvement is the recipe for success of IVB and Bombardier. We have set ourselves the task of supporting IVB with a different innovation each year. In 2012, we implemented the service concept. Last year, we upgraded the interior lighting to LED. We want to continue to work together on further improvements in our common interest. We also offer a driver assistance system and a telemetric solution.”