World's first carbon fiber metro train begins passenger service in E.China's Qingdao

The world's first carbon fiber metro train named "CETROVO 1.0 Carbon Star Express," independently developed by China, has begun passenger service on the Metro Line 1 of Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on Friday, according to a report by the China Central Television (CCTV). 

The debut of the carbon fiber metro train marks a groundbreaking upgrade in China's metro train lightweight technology, according to a statement on the website of CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co, the metro train's developer. It significantly upgraded the metro vehicle's load-bearing structures, from traditional metal materials like steel and aluminum alloys to new carbon fiber materials, while breaking the weight-reduction limitations of traditional metal structures.

The company noted that the advancement will play a vital role in driving the green and low-carbon transformation of China's urban rail transit and supporting the urban rail industry in achieving its "dual carbon" goals.

Compared with traditional metal metro vehicles which are built with steel and aluminum alloys, the carbon fiber metro train is approximately 11 percent lighter, with operational energy consumption reduced by 7 percent. And each train can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 130 tons annually, the CCTV report noted.

The key load-bearing structures of the carbon fiber metro train, such as the car body and bogie frame, are made from carbon fiber composite materials. And this design offers multiple technical advantages, including being lighter and more energy-efficient, having higher strength, better environmental adaptability, and lower operation and maintenance costs throughout its life cycle.

Carbon fiber has advantages such as being lightweight, high-strength, fatigue-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Its strength is more than five times that of steel, while its weight is less than a quarter of steel, making it an excellent material for lightweight rail vehicles, according to the statement on the website of CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co.

Therefore, the use of carbon fiber materials not only enhances the strength of the car body, providing greater impact resistance and extending the structural lifespan, but also improves the vehicles' vibration reduction and isolation, resulting in smoother operation, reduced noise, and a more comfortable ride, the CCTV report noted.

The Qingdao Metro Line 1 spans approximately 60 kilometers and has 41 stations. It serves as a major north-south backbone line in Qingdao, according to the report.