China's first home-made supercapacitor tram unveiled

China's first independently designed supercapacitor tram rolled off the production line in Central China's Hunan province, Aug 1, 2016. [Xinhua]

CHANGSHA - China's first independently designed supercapacitor tram rolled off the production line in Central China's Hunan province Monday.

The tram uses supercapacitor energy storage to operate without external wires and can be fully charged during a 30-second stop and run for 3 to 5 kilometers, according to Engineer-in-Chief Suo Jianguo with Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co under CRRC Corporation Ltd, the country's largest rolling-stock maker.

The tram can carry up to 380 passengers and travel at 70 kilometers per hour. It also uses a low-floor design, making boarding easy for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

"This is the first time all the technology, even the spare parts, are independently provided by China," according to Suo. The tram runs on clean energy and can reuse 85 percent of the energy regenerated from braking.

Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co, based in Zhuzhou, Hunan province, developed the first light rail train using supercapacitor energy storage technology in August 2012.