Flexity 2
| Industry | Rail transport equipment manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Products | Flexity 2 tram and light-rail vehicles |
| Parent | Alstom |
The Flexity 2 represents a series of tram and light-rail vehicles produced by Bombardier Transportation (currently part of Alstom). This model incorporates a fully low-floor layout to facilitate easy boarding, features bi-directional capability with driver cabins at each end, and includes doors on both sides. It is composed of articulated segments consisting of either five or seven modules. The Flexity 2 was first introduced on the Blackpool Tramway in England.
Introduction
As a development of Bombardier's well-established Flexity range, the Flexity 2 emphasizes extensive customization options. Key improvements include enhanced resistance to corrosion, upgraded safety through a redesigned cab offering superior impact protection, and increased energy efficiency by utilizing onboard energy storage cells that capture twice the braking energy compared to conventional feedback systems. The design is lighter, supports optional Primove inductive charging technology, and employs the new Flexx Urban 3000 bogie compatible with standard wheelsets. Interior upgrades consist of improved climate control and increased usable space achieved by thinning the sidewalls, enabling additional seating or alternative uses. Although these modifications slightly raise the axle load, they do not restrict operational performance.
The initial purchaser was Blackpool Transport, which placed an order for 16 units in July 2009 to replace its maintenance-intensive heritage fleet with vehicles better suited for everyday passenger service. The first tram of this new series arrived at Blackpool’s Starr Gate depot in September 2011.
Following this, further acquisitions included 23 units for G:link on the Gold Coast, Australia; 60 trams for Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe in Basel, Switzerland; 88 vehicles for De Lijn operating in Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium; as well as 18 units for the SND in Suzhou New District, China, manufactured by CRRC Nanjing Puzhen under Bombardier’s license.
Technical specifications
| City | Operator | Type designation | Built in | Number of vehicles | Articulated Sections | Track gauge | Length | Width | Height | Maximum power | Catenary line voltage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackpool, England | Blackpool Transport | Flexity 2 (Blackpool) | 2010–2012, 2017 | 18 | 5 | Standard (Template:Track gauge) | 32.23 m (105 ft 8+7⁄8 in) | 2.65 m (8 ft 8+3⁄8 in) | 3.42 m (11 ft 2+5⁄8 in) | 480 kW (640 hp) | Template:600 V DC | |
| Gold Coast, Australia | G:link | 2013–2014 | 18 (+5) | 7 | 43.5 m (142 ft 8+5⁄8 in) | Template:750 V DC | ||||||
| Basel, Switzerland | Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe | 2014–2017 | 60 | 5/7 | Metre (Template:Track gauge) | 31.8 m (104 ft 4 in)/43.2 m (141 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | 2.3 m (7 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | 650 V DC | ||||
| Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium | De Lijn | 2014–2016 | 38 five section, 50 seven section | 31.4 m (103 ft 1⁄4 in)/42.7 m (140 ft 1+1⁄8 in) |
600 V DC |
|||||||
| Suzhou New District, Suzhou, China | Suzhou Tram | 2015 | 18 | 5 | Standard (Template:Track gauge) | 31.8 m (104 ft 4 in) | 2.65 m (8 ft 8+3⁄8 in) | 3.42 m (11 ft 2+5⁄8 in) | — | 750 V DC | ||
| Melbourne, Australia | Yarra Trams | G | 2022– | 100 | 3 | colspan="4" Template:TBA | 600 V DC |