SWEDEN: Alstom has been awarded a €100m order to supply 40 Flexity trams of a lengthened design to Göteborg.
Funded by the Västra Götaland region, the order announced on February 9 has been and placed by regional transport authority Västtrafik using an option on a 2016 contract for an initial 40 trams, designated M33 by operator Göteborgs Spårvägar.
The original contract valued at €140m included a firm order for 30 unidirectional trams of Type A and 10 bidirectional cars of Type B. The contract included options for more of both types as well as a longer Type C variant now designated as M34.
The unidirectional M34 trams will be 45 m long with a capacity of 319 passengers, 50% greater than the 33 m long M33. They will have electrical equipment supplied by Kiepe-Electric.
The M34 trams are to be deployed on routes 5 and 11, with the first scheduled to be in service by the end of 2023 and the last to be delivered in 2026. The M33 and M34 cars are intended to replace the operator’s ageing M28 and M29 trams; the last M28 vehicles were withdrawn at short noticed in October 2021 after the discovery of serious corrosion.
‘The modern Flexity trams’ iconic design will enhance the city’s aesthetics while more comfortable interiors will improve the travel experience for passengers’, said Rob Whyte, CEO of Alstom Nordics. ‘The trams will also help Göteborg become more sustainable by providing an attractive transport alternative to the car.’
