Shandong Good Achievement | Vehicle Weight Reduction of 11%! The world's first carbon fiber subway train "light loaded and running"
Carbon fiber, as thin as a hair, as light as a feather, and stronger than steel, can also be used to make subway trains. On January 10, 2025, the world's first carbon fiber subway train "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Express" jointly developed by CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd. and Qingdao Metro Group was officially put into operation on Qingdao Metro Line 1.
Compared with traditional metal subway vehicles, carbon fiber subway vehicles have reduced body weight by 25%, bogie frame weight by 50%, maintenance costs by 22%, operating energy consumption by 7%, and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 130 tons per train per year. It is more comfortable to ride, with higher body strength, less wheel rail wear, and lower maintenance costs. The "Carbon Star Fast Track" has filled the international gap in the commercial use of carbon fiber composite materials in the main load-bearing structure of subway vehicles, achieving a new upgrade of lightweight and green subway trains in China.
On January 10, 2025, the world's first carbon fiber subway train "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Express" was officially put into operation on Qingdao Metro Line 1
Lightweight subway is more energy-efficient
As an advanced lightweight material, carbon fiber has the advantages of light weight, high strength, fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, etc., and is known as the "king of new materials". In the field of rail transit technology, lightweighting is an important way for rail vehicles to achieve green and low-carbon development.
In recent years, carbon fiber composite materials have developed rapidly in the field of rail transit worldwide, but they are mostly limited to the application of a small number of components such as interior, equipment compartments, vehicle bodies, and bogie frames. CRRC Sifang Co., Ltd., together with Qingdao Metro Group and other units, has jointly tackled key technologies such as integrated design of large and complex carbon fiber main bearing structures, efficient and low-cost molding and manufacturing, and comprehensive intelligent detection and maintenance. The system has solved engineering application problems and achieved the first multi-component application of carbon fiber composite materials in commercial subway vehicle body, bogie frame and other main bearing structures in the world in 2024. According to the operation plan, the "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Fast Track" will depart from Shanli Station during the initial launch of Qingdao Metro Line 1 and carry passengers back and forth in the downstream area on Shanli to Xingguo Road.
By using carbon fiber composite materials, the vehicle achieves significant weight reduction. The CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Fast Track adopts a carbon fiber body and structure, reducing the weight of the entire vehicle by about 11%.
By using carbon fiber composite materials, the "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Fast Track" achieves significant weight reduction
Carbon fiber composite system solution in the field of rail transit
CETROVO 1.0 is a system solution based on carbon fiber composite materials for the field of rail transit. It has two major generational features: the engineering application of carbon fiber and the deep integration of smart care and structural health.
CETROVO 1.0 has also established three exclusive platforms for research and development, manufacturing, and validation of rail transit, namely the design and development platform for rail vehicle carbon fiber composite materials, the efficient and low-cost manufacturing platform for rail vehicle carbon fiber composite materials, and the fully covered full process modular validation platform, forming a batch engineering application capability for the entire life cycle.
It is reported that CETROVO 1.0 has broken through core technologies such as integrated design and efficient low-cost manufacturing, achieving weight reduction, energy consumption reduction, and operation and maintenance cost reduction for trains. With lightweight as the core, we deepen the concept of integrated design, carry out multi-objective coupling design such as load-bearing, installation, sound insulation, heat insulation, and shielding, and develop composite exclusive structures to reduce the weight of the vehicle body and components. We have built a composite production line that integrates intelligent innovation and efficient production, achieving efficient and low-cost manufacturing. Build a five level modular verification platform, release six verification standards in the field of rail transit, and shorten the research and development cycle by 30%.
Thanks to the application of lightweight carbon fiber materials and new technologies, the wheel rail wear of carbon fiber subway trains has been significantly reduced, greatly reducing the maintenance of vehicles and tracks, and lowering the overall life cycle operation and maintenance costs. At the same time, "Carbon Star Fast Track" has applied digital twin technology to build a SmartCare intelligent operation and maintenance platform for carbon fiber trains, achieving intelligent detection of vehicle faults, intelligent evaluation of health status, and optimization of repair processes, reducing maintenance costs.
Compared to traditional metal subway vehicles, carbon fiber subway vehicles have a 25% reduction in body weight
Comprehensive localization from materials to technology
In the field of urban rail transit, how to minimize energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, and create efficient and low-carbon green urban rail is of utmost importance for the development of the industry, and there is a higher demand for lightweight technology for rail vehicles.
The body, bogie frame and other main load-bearing structures of the "Carbon Star Fast Track" are all made of carbon fiber composite materials, achieving the commercial application of carbon fiber composite materials on the main load-bearing structure of subway vehicles for the first time in the world. Compared to traditional subways, this carbon fiber subway train has been upgraded to be lighter, more energy-efficient, more comfortable to ride, stronger, with less wheel rail wear and lower maintenance costs.
The strength of the "Carbon Star Fast Track" is higher and the structural lifespan is longer. The car adopts a new type of carbon fiber composite material with higher performance, which achieves lightweight while improving the strength of the body. Meanwhile, compared with traditional metal materials, carbon fiber bogie frame components have stronger impact resistance, better fatigue resistance, and extended service life. It also adopts advanced active radial technology, which allows the wheels to flexibly pass through curves along the track. Significantly reduced wheel rail wear and noise, with stronger environmental adaptability. Adopting more wear-resistant and heat-resistant carbon ceramic brake discs, it reduces weight by 60% compared to steel discs, and has advantages such as high temperature resistance, long service life, and adaptability to wind, sand, rain, and snow environments, meeting more demanding braking performance requirements.
It is reported that "Carbon Star Fast Track" has achieved complete localization, including the selection and process verification of carbon fiber raw materials, achieving 100% localization of carbon fiber raw silk, prepreg, resin, core material, adhesive and other raw materials, and promoting the large-scale application of carbon fiber composites in the field of rail transit. It is expected that in the next three years, carbon fiber car bodies will be promoted and applied in different speed levels such as intercity high-speed trains, high-speed trains, and high-speed maglev trains, driving the industry upstream and downstream to achieve an annual output value of nearly one billion yuan, providing strong support for the green and low-carbon transformation of China's rail transit.
Information source: Shandong Provincial Department of Science and Technology (official website)
