Stadler’s FLIRT Akku trains: a diesel-free solution for a greener future 

Bic Dynamo?

​@@ARRIVAspotter26that wouldn't work, perpetual motion machines don't exist because of resistance.

German electricity mix for the first ones. 53.4% of renewables already, and that percentage is consistently climbing. Big plants have way better efficiency and way better exhaust gas treatment (to filter all the pollutants but CO2) than a comparatively small and weight-restricted portable motor. So it can even be more efficient and less harmful to burn diesel at the plant than in the vehicle. We have to consider, too, that this train uses regenerative braking to re-gain a lot of energy, which a diesel train can usually not do. Turns out, just keeping a train moving doesn't take all that much energy (i.e. German high speed trains between Frankfurt and Colone stop any power input some 50 KM/30 Miles before Colone if on time). It's getting a train to move that takes up a lot of energy. So if you can regain the energy stored in the movement when braking, that is very efficient. The same goes for elevation changes, take more energy going up, re-gain much of it while going down. Just using regenerative braking, the London underground saves over 1/6th of total power.

I'm not sure there's any form of electricity generation, other than perhaps a petrol generator, that would be worse than a diesel. In Germany Deutsche Bahn like to claim that their trains are 100% powered by green electricity. This is sort of true - DB uses lots of hydroelectric power and although the total power they use is something like 66% green more than half goes to other uses. If these trains only charge from the normal overhead cables then you can say they are 100% green. However some non-electrified sections will have charging stations in the middle and then the power is coming from the normal mains.

The electrified regional rail in the state of Schleswig-Holstein uses 100% renewable energy, at least nominally