The first tramway to be powered by on-board batteries
inaugurated in Nice (France)

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For the first time ever, a tramway now
operates using an autonomous battery on-board system. The Nice
tram, inaugurated on 24 November, links the city centre to the
northern and eastern districts. Avoiding the use of overhead
contact lines over part of its route (11% of the line’s
8.8km), this battery system helps to preserve the historical
character of the city centre. Alstom Transport has also developed
another solution to power trams without overhead lines, the APS
where trams are powered from the ground.

The 20 tramway trainsets are equipped with the latest equipment
from the Citadis range: enhanced air conditioning, audio and
visual information for disabled people, video protection, and
large windows. It is a revival for the tramway, which disappeared
from Nice's streets in 1953. The city now plans to expand its
tram network by up to 36km, with the aim of having three tramway
lines by 2020.

• More Citadis information