FLIRT AKKUs for Chicago

On 21 February 2024 Stadler has been awarded the contract to supply up to 16 FLIRT AKKU BEMUs for Metra, to operate on its Rock Island Line. Metra is initially ordering eight two-car units, which can later be enlarged to three-car or four-car trains. Compliant with the Buy America Act, the vehicles will be built in the United States and are designed to meet all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) standards. Delivery is scheduled to start in 2027.

The contract worth up to 181 million USD also includes engineering support, staff training, and the provision of spare parts while the additional car and train options. The contract represents a transformative step forward for Chicago's transportation landscape introducing emission-free propulsion technology for rail transport in the city for the first time. The trains will be winterized and thus adapted to the severe winter conditions in Chicago. The features include efficient air conditioning technology including underfloor heating in the boarding areas as well as special insulation and well-sealed machine rooms to protect the drive technology.

In 2023, Stadler was awarded the contract by Californian rail operator Caltrain to develop the first battery-electric double-deck unit for the USA to enable low-emission local operation, especially on routes that are only partially electrified. Stadler also signed an important contract in October 2023: the delivery of a total of 29 HMUs for the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and Caltrans. The first calloff includes four hydrogen trains, and six more hydrogen trains were ordered at the beginning of 2024.