Imagine trains that are significantly lighter, use less energy, and break down far less often — that's what PIVOT2 worked on. A massive team of 39 companies and labs across Europe redesigned practically every major part of a train: the body shell, wheels, brakes, doors, interior modules, and air conditioning systems. They built real physical prototypes and tested them, aiming to cut the total cost of running a railway — not just the train itself, but the wear on the tracks too. Think of it like upgrading from a heavy old car to a modern lightweight one that's cheaper to fuel, maintain, and repair.
Railway operators and manufacturers face a ceiling: current train designs are approaching their performance limits in weight, energy efficiency, and reliability. Heavier trains mean higher energy bills, more track damage, and expensive maintenance cycles. Meanwhile, passengers demand better comfort, accessibility, and on-time performance — all while lifecycle costs need to come down, not go up.
The project built physical demonstrators from Siemens, Talgo, and Bombardier covering lighter carbody shells, advanced running gear, improved brakes, accessible doors, and modular train interiors. Physical and VR-based interior prototypes were exhibited at InnoTrans 2022. A total of 26 deliverables were produced across 5 key technical areas plus a new HVAC system.
If you are a train manufacturer struggling with rising material costs and weight limits — this project developed lighter carbody shells, running gear, and modular interior systems demonstrated at TRL 7. With 29 industry partners validating these designs, the components are ready for integration into next-generation vehicle platforms, reducing lifecycle costs across the entire rail system.
If you are a rail operator dealing with high maintenance costs and service disruptions — this project built and tested improved braking systems, doors, and HVAC units designed for higher operational reliability. Physical prototypes were demonstrated at InnoTrans 2022, meaning these technologies are close to deployment and could reduce downtime and energy consumption across your fleet.
If you are a component supplier looking to modernize your product line — this project produced 26 deliverables covering 5 key technical areas plus HVAC, with real demonstrators from Siemens, Talgo, and Bombardier. Licensing or co-developing these lighter, more efficient components could give you a competitive edge in tenders for next-generation rolling stock.
The project received EUR 17,845,062 in EU funding across 39 partners, indicating substantial R&D investment already completed. Exact licensing or component pricing is not published, but since Siemens Mobility coordinated and 29 industry partners participated, commercialization pathways through existing supply chains are likely.
The five main technical areas (carbody shell, running gear, brakes, doors, modular interiors) targeted TRL 7, which means system prototypes demonstrated in an operational environment. Physical demonstrators were shown at InnoTrans 2022, the world's largest rail trade fair, confirming near-commercial readiness for those areas.
With 39 consortium partners including Siemens Mobility, Talgo, and Bombardier (now Alstom), IP is distributed across multiple major rail players. Businesses interested in specific components should contact individual consortium members. Based on available project data, licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly.
Seven demo deliverables were produced: a Bombardier demonstrator, a Talgo demonstrator shown at InnoTrans 2022, a Siemens demonstrator, technical demonstrators for HMS and lighter running gear, plus physical and virtual interior prototypes. The virtual prototype used VR for real-time layout and ambiance configuration.
The project targeted lighter vehicles (reducing energy consumption and track wear), higher operational reliability (fewer service disruptions), and modular interiors (faster refurbishment). These improvements reduce lifecycle costs not just for the vehicle, but for the entire railway system including infrastructure maintenance.
The project closed in June 2023 with TRL 7 demonstrations complete for 5 key areas. Given that major OEMs like Siemens and Talgo led the demonstrators, integration into commercial product lines could already be underway. HVAC systems reached TRL 4 and would need further development.
The project was part of Shift2Rail, the EU's dedicated rail research programme, which aligns all outputs with European rail interoperability and safety standards. Based on available project data, the technologies were developed within the regulatory requirements of the European rail sector.
This is one of the heaviest industry-driven consortia you'll see in EU rail research: 29 out of 39 partners are from industry (74%), with only 2 universities. Coordinated by Siemens Mobility — one of the world's top three train manufacturers — and including Talgo and Bombardier as demonstrator leads, this project had the engineering firepower to move from paper concepts to physical hardware. The consortium spans 9 European countries (AT, DE, ES, FR, HU, IT, PT, SE, UK), covering the continent's major rail manufacturing hubs. With just 1 SME, this was clearly a large-player effort focused on industrialization rather than early-stage research. For a business looking to adopt these technologies, the fact that the biggest names in rail already built and tested them dramatically lowers adoption risk.
Siemens Mobility GmbH (Germany) coordinated this project. Contact their innovation or business development team for technology transfer inquiries.
Want an introduction to the PIVOT2 consortium or specific demonstrator leads? SciTransfer can connect you with the right technical contact — reach out for a briefing.
