Skip to main content

Bombardier high speed train wins design awards in USA and Germany

Bombardier Transportation has won the iF Product Design Award as well as the Good Design Award for its ground-breaking very high speed (VHS) train currently being developed for leading railway markets in Europe, Asia and North America.
March 13, 2012 Read time: 2 mins

513 Bombardier Transportation has won the iF Product Design Award as well as the Good Design Award for its ground-breaking very high speed (VHS) train currently being developed for leading railway markets in Europe, Asia and North America. The Zefiro train platform combines the highest capacity in the industry with pioneering levels of passenger comfort and employs leading-edge technologies and advanced aerodynamics to reduce energy consumption. The company says the technology exists to meet virtually any high speed requirement anywhere in the world.

The Zefiro high speed train platform can accommodate speed performance from 250-380 km/h (155-235 mph) and is highly flexible. Trains can significantly reduce travelling times between major cities and boost interregional economic growth.

The iF Product Design Award from Germany recognises design quality, finish, choice of materials, degree of innovation, environmental impact, functionality, safety as well as brand value.
This is also the third time in five years that Bombardier has won the Good Design Award for its train design. The award is conferred annually by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design together with the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

"These prestigious awards are testament to the Zefiro VHS train's innovative approach to very high speed travel," said Michael Sohn, team leader industrial design, Zefiro project, Bombardier Transportation.

The unique aerodynamic design of the Zefiro train family leads to superior cross wind stability, aerodynamic drag and pressure pulses. Bombardier Transportation is the first company in Europe to develop and apply an aluminum carbody for driving cars as well as trailer cars in the high speed segment, resulting in reduced weight and lower track wear as well as full compliance with stringent safety requirements. Other innovative developments include the Bombardier EBI Drive 50 driver assistance system and the company’s thermo efficient climatisation system. The company claims that these and other energy saving measures mean that Zefiro trains boast the lowest energy consumption per seat of any VHS train.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Intertraffic Amsterdam 2024: From innovation to implementation
    March 13, 2024
    Since 1972, Intertraffic has been focused on innovation and implementation in ITS: and in this year’s packed programme the emphasis is on smart, safe and sustainable mobility for all
  • Go Denver opens up a world of seamless mobility and better data-driven decisions
    June 5, 2017
    Denver’s pioneering Go Denver mobility-as-a-service app has attracted 7,000 users in a matter of months. Geoff Hadwick heard how at ITS International’s recent conference. If Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is ever going to work, it needs to have “one universal platform everywhere” according to Sean Mackin, former manager of parking and mobility services at the Denver transportation and mobility department and now Colorado branch manager for ABM Parking & Transportation. Speaking at the recent MaaS Market confe
  • Schneider Electric celebrates its 21st ISO50001 accreditation
    March 6, 2014
    Schneider Electric, specialist in energy management solutions, is leading the industry by example, having achieved ISO 50001 Accredited Certification for 21 of its UK sites. Since beginning the undertaking to attain ISO50001 accreditation for its larger operations, Schneider has achieved a 16.5 per cent reduction in energy consumption over three years. All the improvements have been implemented using Schneider Electric’s own products, solutions and services. The ISO 50001 Accredited Certification is
  • Siemens to automate railway network in Algiers metropolitan area
    December 23, 2015
    Siemens is to supply the signalling, safety and control systems for the 140 km long-distance rail network in the Algiers metropolitan area. The order will be carried out by Estel RA, a joint venture of state-run Algerian Railways SNTF (Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires) and Siemens.