Its nose is pointed, its train white, its “carmillon” details: the TGV-M, nicknamed the “train of the future”, was officially unveiled this Monday in Belfort. This is the fifth generation of SNCF high-speed trains manufactured by Alstom. In addition to its innovative design, the machine is intended to be more ecological and more economical than its predecessors. “It is a TGV of its time but above all a futuristic TGV, since it will last more than 50 years, a TGV born to last,” commented on X the CEO of SNCF-Voyageurs, Alain Krakovitch.
Concretely, this new model should consume less energy than the existing TGV Duplex thanks to its “pointed nose” and a redesigned engine, which now allows “eco-driving”. According to SNCF, the carbon footprint of the future TGV-M will be “the lowest on the market”, thanks to a “32% reduction in CO2 emissions” for each journey. The vast majority of manufacturing materials used in its design are also qualified as “recyclable” by the railway company.
Also read: Ultrafast, autonomous, electromagnetic… SNCF on its way to the train of the future
Greener, the “TGV-M” will be able to accommodate an increased number of travelers, since it will be able to hold up to 740 seats, compared to 634 currently. As its name suggests, it has “unprecedented modularity”, allowing the number of cars to be adjusted as closely as possible to market needs. Depending on the expected crowds on the rails, it will be possible to quickly transform a 1st class space into a 2nd class space, to reconfigure the interior of a train by removing or adding seats, to integrate or remove a bike space… On arrival, the “TGV-M” will be able to transport more passengers, while consuming less energy, which will contribute, according to the SNCF, to offering “cheaper tickets”.
In terms of design, high-speed train enthusiasts will find, apart from a few details, the appearance of current TGVs. “A design that I define in 2 words: sobriety
With the “train of the future”, the SNCF is betting big. The railway company has invested no less than 3.5 billion euros to acquire around a hundred trainsets of the new machine. The commissioning of the train, planned for the Olympic Games, was postponed until 2025 due to the delay accumulated by its manufacturer, Alstom. During the coming months, admission tests will be carried out, aimed at testing the operation of the new train in real operating conditions.
The French will have to wait until autumn 2024 to discover the interior of the TGV-M, during pre-operational tests, the last test phase before the commercial launch. On X (formerly Twitter), the first images of the “train of the future” gave rise to rather mixed reactions. “That, a livery? The large white surfaces will be a delight for taggers,” reacted an Internet user taken aback by the appearance of the train. “It’s very similar to the Spanish Ouigo, it lacks color, the white will quickly become brown with the miles,” warns another. Some, more measured, welcome the design of the new train, but demand more comfort. “Congratulations for the aesthetics. On the other hand, we must hope that the seats will be more comfortable than those currently deployed, replacing the old ones in the trains in circulation. We didn’t gain anything from the change.” Will they be heard by the SNCF? See you in 2025…
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