France's Alstom has shown off for the first time a new generation of faster high-speed trains. The prototype AGV is the successor to the country's flagship TGV trains.
The train was unveiled at a ceremony attended by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who as finance minister intervened in 2004 to save Alstom from being broken up. He said the AGV is proof that was the right decision: "This shows that Alstom wants to stay number one by leading in technological advances. You always have to be one step ahead, because it doesn't mean that if you're a winner today, you will be in the future."
The AGV carries up to 500 passengers, compared with the TGV's 350. Its top speed is 360 kilometres an hour, up from 320 for current models. Use of composites and aluminium has cut the weight from 430 tonnes to 395 tonnes.
AGV stands for Automotice Grande Vitesse, or High-Speed Railcar, which refers to the main technical innovation, that there is no locomotive at the front or back but instead electric motors driving the wheels under the carriages. Alstom says that cuts energy use and maintenance costs.
The first AGVs will go to Italian private rail operator NTV. It has ordered 25 of them worth 650 million euros, with maintenance, plus an option for 10 more.
Germany's Deutsche Bahn is also looking at whether to purchase 15 international high-speed trains from Alstom. Previously it has always bought from German firm Siemens.
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