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

  • June 21, 2018
    Bombardier's Innovia ATM to meet passenger demand at Shenzen Airport
    Bombardier Transportation says its automated people mover (APM) 300 system will help manage increasing passenger numbers at China's Shenzhen Airport, terminal 3. The contract, valued ¥453m (£53m), will be carried out by CRRC Puzhen Bombardier Transportation Systems (PBTS) and is expected to be operational in 2020. PBTS is a joint venture between Bombardier Transportation and Chinese railway rolling stock manufacturer CRRC Nanjing Puzhen. Through the agreement, PBTS will deliver an integrated system
  • February 27, 2013
    Consortium wins Polish rail modernisation contract
    A consortium led by Bombardier Transportation in partnership with Thales and Nokia Siemens Networks has won the US$146 million contract to modernise the signalling of the 350 km long E65 railway line linking Warsaw and Gdynia. The need to comply with the standards of the trans-European transport network linking the north and south of Europe makes the contract is one of the most important investments of PKP, the Polish railway lines operator. The consortium claims the modernisation will enhance safety and in
  • January 15, 2016
    Smart railways market ‘worth US$13.77 billion by 2020’
    According to new market research report by MarketsandMarkets, the smart railway market is predicted to grow from US$5.34 Billion in 2015 to US$13.77 Billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 20.8 per cent over the period. The smart railways concept includes the combination of advanced solutions and services of intelligent transportation with the information and communication technology. It facilitates the smart use of rail assets, from tracks to trains which will enable companies to meet the increasing consumer dema
  • July 29, 2013
    Weathering the elements: how weather affects the network
    Weather-related problems can render cost-cutting counter productive, according to CommScope’s Philip Sorrells. When severe weather conditions make headlines every winter, motorists and travellers seem willing to accept the impact on the trains and roads and yet take for granted that the communications networks will continue uninterrupted. They often appear far more upset that the information system does not give them an update on road conditions, train services or bus arrival times than they are about the a