Run Out of Town on a Solar Rail

“Vili,” which literally translates to “tram” in Budapest, also is the rather whimsical-sounding name of a new and unique solar-powered railcar that will be ready to carry passengers on the narrow-gauge line that runs from Kismaros to Királyrét in time for tourist season.

As reported by The International Railway Journal, the 760mm-gauge (30-inch-gauge) vehicle is fitted with an array of photovoltaic panels, which are mounted on the roof and cover an area of about 106 square feet. The panels feed batteries installed under the seats, which also are powered by a regenerative braking system. This means that Vili can be operated exclusively using onboard solar power, although the batteries also can be charged from external power sources (which, in turn, may be fed by local solar cells).


Photo above of Hungary’s new solar tram, Vili (courtesy of International Railway Journal).

The mechanical parts of the railcar were developed by Hungarian company Börzsöny 2020, which maintains the Királyrét line's locomotive fleet, while the electrical systems came from Hungarotrain, an offshoot of the former Ganz Villamossági Muvek (later Ganz-Ansaldo), which predominantly used local materials and know-how to develop the technology.

No external financing was used in the development of Vili; although environmental grants could be sought, if further vehicles are produced for other customers.

This is not Europe’s first or most sophisticated solar-powered train (though it has considerable charm of its own). In June 2011, the first solar-powered high-speed international train left Amsterdam bound for Paris. The train plugs into a solar energy source fitted along the line. The roof of the 2.5-mile tunnel crossing from Antwerp, in northern Belgium, is fitted with 16,000 solar panels that produce about 3,300 megawatts per hour of electricity, or the average annual consumption of nearly 1,000 families. They will not only power the high-speed rail, but also support inter-city trains while providing enough electricity to charge the train station, according to The Daily Mail.

JinkoSolar of Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, China, provided the photovoltaic panels for the tunnel. "The implementation of the project, indicating the use of solar energy as the main transport system to provide cleaner, more cost-effective power and energy was a great success — meaning it is an innovative application," commented JinkoSolar Chief Marketing Officer Arturo Herrero. "JinkoSolar, with other partners, is committed to reducing the negative impact of transport on the environment play their roles well."