Flexity Freedom
| Company type | Light rail vehicle |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founder | Bombardier Transportation |
| Headquarters | Thunder Bay and Kingston, Ontario , Canada |
| Products | Light rail vehicles |
Flexity Freedom
The Flexity Freedom is an articulated, low-floor light rail vehicle designed by Bombardier Transportation and subsequently Alstom specifically for the North American transit market. It belongs to the Alstom Flexity series, which encompasses a range of tram and light metro models. Manufacturing takes place in Ontario at facilities in Thunder Bay and Kingston, both with historical ties to Canada Car and Foundry (CC&F) and Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC).
This vehicle serves the Ion rapid transit network in Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario, as well as Edmonton’s Valley Line. Additionally, it is slated for use on Toronto’s forthcoming Line 5 Eglinton light rail corridor currently under construction.
Featuring a fully low-floor layout, the Flexity Freedom is positioned primarily for light rail applications and competes with models such as the Flexity Swift, Alstom Citadis, Siemens S70, CAF Urbos, and vehicles from Kinki Sharyo. It also faces competition, to a lesser degree, from low-floor streetcars produced by manufacturers like Škoda, Inekon, and Brookville Equipment Corporation.
Design
These vehicles are engineered with a 100% low-floor configuration and can be adapted for either unidirectional or bidirectional operation. Energy efficiency features include regenerative braking systems and LED illumination, complemented by onboard air conditioning. Options such as graffiti-resistant coatings and door-mounted passenger counting systems are available.
Constructed from articulated modules of similar length, the number of intermediate sections can be customized to adjust passenger capacity. For example, Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo units consist of five modules, while Edmonton’s trains utilize seven. Multiple vehicles can be linked together, forming trains of up to four units.
Standard seating accommodates 135 passengers in three-module versions and 251 in five-module configurations. When arranged into four-car trainsets using the five-module design, the system can transport up to 30,000 passengers during peak hours. The interior layout supports safe access for up to four wheelchair users per vehicle; Edmonton’s seven-module trains have a total capacity of approximately 275 passengers.
Bombardier also provides catenary-free propulsion options employing induction technology via embedded loops beneath the track, presenting an alternative to systems like Alstom’s APS.
Delivery
Initially conceived for the Transit City initiative’s six suburban LRT corridors, roughly 300 vehicles were anticipated. By 2016, only the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West lines remained active projects. In 2010, Metrolinx placed an order worth CAD 770 million for 182 vehicles—76 allocated to Eglinton Crosstown and 23 for Finch West—with delivery originally planned to commence in 2018.
The prototype faced delays beyond its spring 2015 target as of May 2016; it required an additional one to two years of testing prior to mass production. By July 2016, Bombardier acknowledged receipt of a contractual notice from Metrolinx concerning these delays but pledged to deliver the prototype by August and begin production in spring 2018.
In September 2016, Metrolinx opened bidding for Finch West LRT contracts that included vehicle supply options, indicating potential alternatives to the Flexity Freedom model. Similar considerations were made for Hurontario and Hamilton LRT projects; however, Hamilton was canceled in December 2019 due to cost concerns.
In November 2016, Metrolinx formally notified Bombardier of intent to terminate their contract because delivery delays jeopardized the Eglinton Crosstown launch schedule. Bombardier maintained confidence in meeting deadlines despite Metrolinx alleging that the prototype failed fundamental tests such as overhead power collection; Bombardier countered that testing was ongoing.
Later that month, the first pilot unit was transported from Thunder Bay to Kingston for testing phases expected to last approximately nine months.
Quality control inspections by Metrolinx uncovered issues at Bombardier’s Thunder Bay and Sahagun plants—specifically welding defects attributed to inadequate training and management practices—which Bombardier asserted had been addressed.
In March 2017, Metrolinx submitted court affidavits highlighting significant financial risks if Bombardier missed delivery milestones; penalties imposed on Metrolinx by Crosslinx Transit Solutions amounted to $500,000 daily compared with Bombardier’s $1,500 per late vehicle per day penalty.
Following an unsuccessful legal challenge, Metrolinx contracted Alstom in May 2017 with a CAD 500 million order for 61 LRVs as a contingency measure. Should Bombardier fulfill its schedule, Alstom’s vehicles will be assigned to Finch West and Hurontario lines; otherwise, they will support the Eglinton Crosstown line.
In December 2017, both parties agreed to reduce Bombardier’s Flexity Freedom order from CAD 770 million for 182 vehicles down to CAD 392 million for 76 units—sufficient for Eglinton Crosstown—with escalated penalties for late deliveries. Concurrently, Bombardier received an extension of eighteen months on its GO Transit operations contract.
The initial vehicle arrived in Kingston in October 2018 for testing purposes and was delivered to Toronto’s Eglinton Maintenance Facility by January 2019. Nevertheless, by February of that year Metrolinx reported missed deadlines regarding delivery of the first six vehicles.
A contract amendment in November 2019 added $36.2 million plus potential bonuses and transportation expenses related to retrofitting communication and signaling systems delayed by Crosslinx Transit Solutions’ late designs.
The acceptance deadline for the initial six vehicles was set for July 1, 2020. Although Line 5 Eglinton requires only 42 out of the total ordered 76 vehicles at opening—anticipated in 2024—Metrolinx expected delivery of these units by August 1, 2021, with remaining cars due by March 31, 2022. As of March 2020, Bombardier had completed production of thirty vehicles; two had been accepted by Metrolinx.
Features
Initially designed to include two driver cabs per unit, Metrolinx altered the Toronto Flexity Freedom order in 2013 by removing one cab per vehicle. Consequently, the rear section of each tram now consists of a passenger compartment with four seats arranged along the sides and additional standing space, alongside secondary controls housed within a cabinet. When two single-cab vehicles are coupled back-to-back, they form a two-car trainset with driver cabs positioned at both ends.
These trams are equipped with automatic train control (ATC) systems operating in three distinct modes:
- Autonomous operation within the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility.
- Supervised running between Mount Dennis and Laird stations, where the onboard operator controls door functions and initiates departures.
- Surface-level segment east of Laird station, where the operator retains full manual control while ATC provides advisory information.
Freedom vs. Outlook
While Flexity Freedom vehicles share several technical features with Toronto’s Flexity Outlook streetcars, they differ notably in width, speed, and track gauge—Flexity Freedom runs on standard gauge rails as opposed to the broader gauge used by the streetcar network. Unlike the unidirectional Flexity Outlook, which has doors exclusively on the right side, Flexity Freedom is bidirectional with doors on both sides. The Outlook models can navigate tight streetcar curves and employ single-point switches; in contrast, Freedom vehicles require a minimum curve radius of 25 meters and utilize double-point switches.
Toronto’s light rail corridors, beginning with Line 5 Eglinton, adopt standard gauge track to align with Metrolinx’s broader strategy aimed at reducing procurement costs through vehicle standardization across Ontario transit projects.
The exterior design of Flexity Freedom features a black-and-white color scheme, distinguishing it from the red-and-white paintwork of Flexity Outlook streetcars. This palette reflects its role within Toronto’s subway network, where metallic tones dominate.
| Comparison | Flexity Freedom | Flexity Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Line 5 Eglinton | Toronto streetcar network |
| Length | 31 m (102 ft) | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Width | 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) | 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | 1,495 mm (4 ft 10+7⁄8 in) |
| Switch type | Double-point | Single-point |
| Maximum gradient | 5–6 % | 8% |
| Minimum curve radius | 25 m (82 ft) | 11 m (36 ft) |
| Multi-car operation | Configurations of 2–3 cars | Not applicable |
| Top speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
| Operating voltage (DC) | 750 V | 600 V |
| Current collection method | Pantograph only | Trolley pole and pantograph |
| Directionality | Bidirectional | Unidirectional |
| Number of doors | 8 (4 on each side) | 4 (right side only) |
| Exterior colors | Black and white | Red and white |
Waterloo Region
In July 2013, the Region of Waterloo joined Metrolinx’s procurement agreement to acquire 14 vehicles for the Ion light rail network at a total cost of $66 million, benefiting from shared expertise and economies of scale.
Bombardier manufactured one unit plus two prototypes at its Thunder Bay facility, while the remaining thirteen were assembled at the Kingston plant. To avoid production delays, assembly responsibilities transitioned from Thunder Bay to Kingston. Additionally, sub-assembly components were relocated from Mexico to La Pocatière, Quebec, with cab structures produced at a separate location.
Originally scheduled for delivery in August 2016, timelines shifted to December 2016 for the initial vehicle and October 2017 for the final one. The first tram left Thunder Bay in February 2017, followed by subsequent shipments from Kingston. Early deliveries encountered software complications that postponed comprehensive testing until October 2017; by December that year, three light rail vehicles had arrived onsite.
The initial powered trial run took place on December 19, 2017, at low speed within the maintenance facility. Expanded testing beyond this phase occurred throughout 2018.
Revenue service began on June 21, 2019. In August 2020, Bombardier consented to a compensation arrangement that included providing a complimentary fifteenth vehicle for the Ion fleet, which was delivered in March 2021.
Edmonton
Bombardier was part of the consortium awarded the contract in 2016 to construct and operate the Edmonton LRT Valley Line Southeast. For this project, Bombardier provided Flexity Freedom vehicles, which differ from the Siemens light rail vehicles used on Edmonton’s existing lines. These new vehicles are longer, featuring seven sections compared to the five segments typical of Ontario’s models. The initial car was shipped on June 27, 2018, and subsequently exhibited at Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre on July 27, 2018. Each LRV accommodates 82 seated passengers, includes eight doors on each side, and can transport up to 275 passengers in total. In all, 26 vehicles were manufactured: 10 arrived in late 2018, 13 followed in 2019, and the final three were delivered in 2020. The Valley Line officially commenced regular operations on November 4, 2023.
Competition
Alstom’s contract with Metrolinx encompassed the supply of Citadis Spirit vehicles—the same model deployed on Ottawa’s Confederation Line. These Citadis Spirit units are approximately 50% larger than Bombardier’s Flexity Freedom cars, which led planners to anticipate a reduced number of vehicles needed overall. The price per Citadis vehicle stands at $8.7 million, more than double the initial Flexity average of $4.2 million each; however, each Citadis unit carries about 1.8 times as many passengers. Following Metrolinx’s decision to cut its Flexity order from 182 to 76 vehicles, the average cost per Flexity unit increased to $5.2 million.
| Comparison of competing light rail vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flexity Freedom | Citadis Spirit | |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier | Alstom |
| Length | 30.8 m | 48.4 m |
| Passenger capacity (maximum) | 251 | 340 |
| Top speed | 80 km/h | 100 km/h |
For Line 5 Eglinton, Metrolinx procured competing fleets from both Bombardier and Alstom; however, only one fleet will be deployed at launch. Alstom intends to establish a manufacturing facility in Brampton, Ontario, which is expected to create between 100 and 120 permanent jobs.
| Comparison of vehicle orders for Line 5 Eglinton | ||
|---|---|---|
| Flexity Freedom | Citadis Spirit | |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier | Alstom |
| Number of vehicles ordered | 76 | 61 |
| Total order value | $392 million | $528 million |
| Average unit cost | $5.2 million | $8.7 million |
| Vehicles currently in fleet | 76 | 44[lower-alpha 1] |
| Total fleet capacity (passengers) | 12,464 | 12,848 |
| Prorated fleet cost | $392 million | $381 million[lower-alpha 2] |
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