WP10 annual face-to-face meeting – March 2026 (Stockholm, Sweden)

Defining the requirements for a cost‑efficient regional vehicle for up to 100 passengers is one of the topics within FUTURE. The vehicle concept should promote significant weight reductions compared to what the market can offer today. An analysis of relevant regional vehicles available on the market and an analysis of the applicable legal framework, safety and regulatory requirements has been performed.

The project has now entered the concept development phase, where previous studies are being consolidated into a complete vehicle concept, including its charging and refuelling infrastructure. The concept features a low‑weight carbody and running gear, as well as emission‑free propulsion using either battery systems or battery/hydrogen hybrid solutions. Multimodal charging and refuelling stations shared with road vehicles are being considered as a cost‑effective alternative to dedicated rail facilities. Additional subsystems under evaluation for weight and cost reductions include the interior, heating and ventilation, and braking systems.

A novel concept for a vehicle‑centric control and command system (CCS) for G2 lines, (lines without regular operational connections to mainlines), has been developed, with the goal of reducing capital and operational costs. The performance of this development will be validated through demonstrators later this year.

To date, the work has resulted in three deliverables, available at: https://rail-research.europa.eu/pages/fp6-future/deliverables

• State‑of‑the‑Art Report for Regional Lines Rolling Stock
• Preliminary Rolling Stock Concept Model Report
• Specifications CCS for Group 2

The annual face‑to‑face meeting was held in March 2026 hosted by KTH in Stockholm, Sweden.