Bombardier Awarded Contract for 50 V300ZEFIRO Very High Speed Trains in Italy

Bombardier Transportation announced today it has signed a contract with Trenitalia (Italian Railways) for the delivery of 50 very high speed trainsets V300ZEFIRO, a model of the BOMBARDIER ZEFIRO high speed trains family. The V300ZEFIRO (known as ETR 1000 in Italy) is developed in partnership with AnsaldoBreda, a subsidiary of the Finmeccanica group of Italy. The total contract is valued at 1,54 billion euro ($2.10 billion US). Bombardier’s share of the contract is valued at 652 million euro ($889 million US).

The V300ZEFIRO has a capacity for 600 passengers and is capable of commercial speeds of up to 360 km/h. Its unusually high acceleration enables the train to ensure excellent travel times even in winding routes. It is fully interoperable and will provide cross-border service, taking Trenitalia’s passengers to other European countries without the need for changing trains.

Andre Navarri, President and COO, Bombardier Transportation, commented on Bombardier’s successes in the global high speed rail market. He said, “We are very proud to have received the confidence of Trenitalia. It is another demonstration of our leadership in the development of new generation very high speed trains, a flagship segment of the railway industry market.. Today, Bombardier holds top level presence in this exciting market segment and we are committed to continue to support customers around the globe offering our ZEFIRO technology.”

With the award announced today, Bombardier has won contracts for the delivery of a total of 210 trains of the ZEFIRO family. The first order for this platform came from China in October 2007, with a contract to supply ZEFIRO 250 km/h trains. Since then, Bombardier was awarded contracts to deliver 80 units of the ZEFIRO 380 model and additional 80 ZEFIRO 250 km/h trains, all ordered by the Ministry of Railways in China (MOR). The first-generation ZEFIRO 250 is already operating in China.

Stephane Rambaud Measson, President, Passengers Division, Bombardier Transportation commented: “Our success in this market segment demonstrates that customers have welcomed the innovation we have brought into making the ZEFIRO high speed family about more than just speed.” He added, “The ZEFIRO is a game changer in this industry as in addition to high speed it also offers cost-efficiency, coupled with high capacity capabilities, pleasing aesthetics, reliability, safety, durability and environmentally friendly transportation solutions.”

Under the technical leadership of Bombardier, the production, testing and commissioning of the V300ZEFIRO for Italy will take place in Italy at AnsaldoBreda sites and the Bombardier site in Vado Ligure. Other Bombardier sites will also participate in the development of the new train, such as the Bombardier high speed trains engineering hub site located in Hennigsdorf, Germany.

Roberto Tazzioli, Chief Country Representative, Bombardier Transportation, Italy, further illustrated Bombardier’s commitment to the market in Italy. He said, “We are delighted to receive this contract as it represents a further endorsement of our position in the Italian market, across a range of speed and vehicle sectors, strengthened by our partnership approach. We intend to demonstrate continued excellence in terms of productivity and build on our partnerships in the Italian market.”

Bombardier Transportation in Italy

Bombardier Transportation is one of the most important manufacturers of rolling stock in Italy and is involved in some of the country’s most important rail projects; Trenitalia’s various types of electric locomotives- including the E464 which is the largest single line in the Trenitalia fleet (628 vehicles). In addition, Bombardier delivered the high-speed train ETR500 (as a member of the Trevi consortium), the Rome-Fiumicino airport people-mover, the tram vehicles in Milan and Palermo, the propulsion systems of the new Rome metro vehicles and the traffic management system installed in various sections of the Italian rail network (SCMT).

The group employs some 700 people in Italy. 500 people are located in Vado Ligure, the plant set up in 1905 where close to 2,000 locomotives have been manufactured to date. 200 people work at its engineering centre in Rome, dedicated to the development of rail control solutions, signalling equipment and rail traffic management systems.