Car manufacturer Tesla has agreed, through rail operator NEB, to lease two Mireo Smart battery-electric trains from Smart Train Lease for its Giga Train shuttle.
The trains, which will run on a zero-emission, non-electrified line, will replace the diesel-powered Bombardier (now CAF) Talent trains currently in use. They will run on the carmaker’s shuttle, the Giga Train, to transport workers to the Berlin-Brandenburg Gigafactory.
Specifically, this free service launched in September 2023 links Erkner station, the terminus of the S3 line of the Berlin suburban railway (S-Bahn), with the Fangschleuse Tesla Süd station, built on the branch line serving the Tesla gigafactory.
According to the car manufacturer, the shuttle is used every day by more than 3,500 people. Apart from workers, anyone can travel on it free of charge.
Siemens Mobility has confirmed to Trenvista that two Mireo Smart trains will be leased for 18 months, with an option to extend the contract.
To make the transition from diesel trains to the new zero-emission trains, Tesla will discontinue the shuttle service this summer.
Tesla’s Giga Train, Smart Train Lease’s first customer
With this contract, Tesla becomes the first customer to enjoy the new leasing service that Siemens Mobility launched in February 2024.
According to Benjamin Dobernecker, CEO of Smart Train Lease GmbH, with this initiative “We want to make renting trains as easy and simple as renting a car, and thus contribute to accelerating modal shift. This service will further increase the attractiveness of rail transport for travellers and enable our customers to react quickly to fluctuating demand”.
The Mireo Smart trains available for rental are energy efficient. They are available in three variants: electric, battery (the one chosen by Tesla for the Giga Train) or hydrogen.
All are equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS) and the point-based train control system (PZB). They are air-conditioned and have seating for 214 people, space to carry up to 21 bicycles, accessible bathrooms and space for two wheelchairs.
