Multinational rail transport company Alstom has been awarded a contract by China Steel Corporation to supply 15 Citadis trams for Phase 2 of the Kaohsiung tramway project, in Taiwan, which is expected to start revenue service in 2019.

This tramway project – the first of its kind for Alstom in Taiwan – will add to Alstom’s recent Asia-Pacific successes, notably in Shanghai, China and Sydney, Australia.

Phase 2 – which is 13.4 km long and includes 23 stations – is part of the Kaohsiung tramway line that will be 22.1 km long and include 37 stations on completion of the project. This new line will run all around the city and will be connected to two existing mass rapid transit (MRT) lines, the Red line and the Orange line.

Alstom will provide 15 Citadis X05s, which are equipped with the latest technologies, including permanent magnet motors to reduce energy consumption.

Moreover, Alstom will equip the trams with its Citadis Ecopack, which is an on-board energy storage solution located on the roof that enables the tram to run without a catenary from one station to another. It enables the tram to be fully charged in 20 seconds through the catenary when stopping at stations.

“Alstom is proud to bring its leading tramway and infrastructure technologies to Taiwan. Once completed, the tramway line will provide a green transport solution to Kaohsiung residents and visitors who will be able to commute aboard a tram that is efficient and comfortable, and that blends perfectly into the cityscape,” says Alstom China and East Asia MD Ling Fang.

The Citadis X05 trams will be designed and manufactured at Alstom’s La Rochelle site, in France. The other French sites involved are Tarbes for the traction system equipment, Valenciennes for the interior design, Villeurbanne for the on-board electronic systems and passenger information, Ornans for the permanent magnet motors, Le Creusot for the bogies, Vitrolles for the on-board power supply switching boxes, Citadis Ecoswitch and Aix en Provence for the safety control system related to Ecopack. Sesto, in Italy, is involved in the provision of the traction system equipment.

Alstom Taiwan is providing the on-site testing, training and warranty services. Alstom has been manufacturing trams for 18 years. To date, 2 300 Citadis trams have been sold to more than 50 cities in 18 countries. Citadis X05, launched in 2014, has been ordered by for use in Sydney, Avignon, and Caen, in France.