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.

Related Content

  • October 15, 2012
    Road safety award for Clearview Traffic
    UK company Clearview Traffic, jointly with Jacobs and Telford & Wrekin Council, has won the Road Safety Scheme Award at the Highways Magazine Excellence Awards 2012. The award, for the Chetwynd road safety scheme, was presented at the annual Highways Magazine Excellence Awards ceremony and recognises the significant impact this project has had in improving road safety on the A41, Chetwynd, Warwickshire. This safety scheme originated as a result of a collision investigation route-based study carried out by J
  • March 4, 2019
    International Road Safety Awards: the winners
    Road accidents are a major blight on the world’s highways - but some companies are attempting to stem the tide. David Arminas reports on the annual Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards
  • May 17, 2012
    Bombardier people mover system for Jeddah
    Bombardier Transportation has signed a contract with Saudi Arabian construction company, Saudi Binladin Group, to design, build, operate and maintain a Bombardier Innovia APM 300 automated people mover system for the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) development project in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The total value of the contract is US$96 million.
  • September 5, 2024
    All around the world: #ITSDubai2024
    The bosses of the three major international ITS organisations – ITS America, Ertico and ITS Asia-Pacific – have put their heads together on a podcast. Beate Kubitz listens in…